Animated musical fantasy from the Oscar-nominated ‘Mirai’ director boasts a talented Japanese and international crew that includes ‘Frozen’ and ‘Tangled’ concept artist Jin Kim as well as ‘Wolfwalkers’ co-directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart.
There’s a brand-new international trailer for Mamoru Hosoda and Studio Chizu’s upcoming animated musical fantasy, Belle, which hits Japanese theaters July 16. The Oscar-nominated and Annie Award-winning Mirai director has assembled a top team of Japanese and international artists for the film, which includes character designer Jin Kim (Frozen, Tangled, Big Hero 6, Moana), who created the look of Belle, and concept artist Eric Wong, as well as Oscar-nominated Wolfwalkers directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart of Cartoon Saloon (Song of the Sea, The Secret of Kells).
Here you go… hot off the press!
Belle mixes reality and fantasy as it follows Suzu, a 17-year-old high school student living in a rural village with her father. For years she has only been a shadow of herself. One day, she enters "U," a virtual world of 5 billion members on the Internet. There, she is not Suzu anymore but Belle, a world-famous singer. She soon meets with a mysterious creature. Together, they embark on a journey of adventures, challenges and love, in their quest of becoming who they truly are.
Hosoda has previously stated, “Belle is the movie that I have always wanted to create and I am only able to make this film a reality because of the culmination of my past works. I explore romance, action and suspense on the one hand, and deeper themes such as life and death on the other. I expect this to be a big entertainment spectacle.”
Belle is produced by Studio Chizu president and Hosoda collaborator Yuichiro Saito. The film is being represented by film agency Charades (I Lost My Body, Bigfoot Superstar, The Queen’s Corgi). Paris-based sales company Charades is representing the film in international markets. Nippon Television handles sales for Asia. Toho is handling the Japanese release.
Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.
