Major premieres for Locarno’s younger audiences: Pokémon and Mai Mai Miracle
The 12th film in the Pokémon saga, entitled Pokémon Diamond & Pearl the Movie: Arceus: To the Conquering of Space-Time, will be presented as an international premiere at the forthcoming Locarno International Film Festival.

Directed by Kunihiko Yuyama, creator of the preceding episodes as of the TV series, the film concludes the Diamond & Pearl trilogy. Following the screening, young viewers will be able to meet Japanese teen-idol Shoko Nakagawa, who sings the film’s title song and is also the ‘voice’ of Pokémon Pichu. They will also be taught how to draw Pokémon with the Japanese animators who will be in Locarno especially for the occasion.

Another event for younger viewers at the forthcoming Locarno Festival: the world premiere of Mai Mai Miracle, the latest production from the prestigious studio MADHOUSE LTD (Paprika), distributed by Shochiku –an animated fable full of fantasy directed by Sunao Katabuchi (Princess Arete, the Black Lagoon series).

The screenings are open to all ages. The films are screened in original version with simultaneous translation in several languages.
Special ticket price for under 16s: 10 CHF.

In addition, the programme for the 62nd edition includes several other screenings and special events for younger audiences, from animation films to silent cinema. For further information, see www.pardo.ch

The 62nd edition of the Locarno International Film Festival will take place from August 5 to 15, 2009.