Sean Lennon Brings Akira and Other Favorites to Los Angeles Animation Festival

Courtesy of LAAF

If you have never seen Grave of the Fireflies, you should -- just make sure you have tissue on hand. Seriously.

"When I try to play it for my friends, I always feel a little bit guilty," says Lennon. "It's pretty sad."

Directed by Isao Takahata and animated by Studio Ghibli, Grave of the Fireflies is about children dealing with World War II. The movie is based on a novel by Akiyuki Nosaka, who drew upon his own experience with loss during the war.

"It's the most serious animated film I've ever seen, but it manages to be really successful as a piece of art," says Lennon.

Lennon first saw the movie with his mother, who was also a child in Japan during World War II.

"Watching the film with her was quite a profound experience," he says. "Seeing her relive those memories through the film, I really feel that the film managed to capture a certain reality that a lot of people lived through, but she specifically felt."

Courtesy of LAAF

Keiichi Tanaami is a Japanese artist whose work has extended across a wide range of media and whose work has become hugely influential on today's artists, including Lennon.

"I think he's aesthetically a genius," says Lennon.

For LAAF, Lennon selected five shorts to screen: "Gaze in Summer," "Fetish Doll," "Sweet Friday," "Dreams" and "Scrap Diary."

"These films are his pinnacle works," Lennon stresses. "These films aren't exactly narrative. They don't have a discernible plot, but are nonetheless incredible to watch."

Los Angeles Animation Festival begins March 7 at Regent Showcase. Check the festival's website for the schedule.

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Location Info

Venue

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Regent Showcase

614 N. LaBrea, Los Angeles, CA

Category: Film

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