Directed by: Kotono Watanabe
2023
/ 117 minutes
/ Unclassified all ages
Cats and dogs, deserts and trees: will these kingdoms ever get along?
Glistening with gold and water beneath the same sun, Alhamit and Baikari are two warring kingdoms that have come to a diplomatic agreement: Alhamit will gift their most beautiful woman and Baikari their cleverest man, to wed the nations into peace. But apparently, they are too stubborn to even honour such a simple deal, and trouble sparks when a dog and a cat arrive in place of the promised bride and groom! In a strange twist of fate however, Princess Sarah of Alhamit and Naranbayar of Baikari meet in the forest by chance, without realising who the other is…
A sublime fantasy with stunningly animated landscapes, this film is a lively adventure into two vastly disparate worlds. As the soon-to-be star-crossed lovers seek alternative answers to their kingdoms’ dispositions, this diplomatic film instils hope in the midst of spiteful conflict, and cross-cultural connection as a means to overcome it. Breathtakingly magical with paper art and watercolour sequences, what begins as a classic fairytale proves to be wonderfully and unconventionally current.
Palace Electric, Canberra
Palace Raine Square, Perth
Palace Raine Square, Perth
Palace Barracks, Brisbane
The Kino, Melbourne
Palace Central Sydney, Sydney
The Kino, Melbourne
Palace Norton Street, Sydney
Palace Balwyn, Melbourne
Palace Norton Street, Sydney
Director: Kotono Watanabe
Cast: Kento Kaku, Minami Hamabe, Hiroshi Kamiya and Banjyō Ginga
Genre: Anime, Romance
Language(s): Japanese with English subtitles
Format: DCP colour