National Building Museum
 

Film Double Feature: Ponyo followed by The Tsunami and The Cherry Blossom
Presented at AFI Silver Theater

Free Double Feature! 
Saturday, May 2, 12:30 pm


PONYO 崖の上のポニョ

PONYO_POSTER_small.jpgLegendary storyteller Hayao Miyazaki dives into the sea to explore the magical world of Ponyo, a goldfish princess who forms a friendship with the land-dwelling boy Sosuke. Enchanted by her new friend, Ponyo transforms into a little girl in order to spend more time with Sosuke on land. But will her migration throw off the delicate balance between sea and land? A beautiful tale of friendship, attuned to the sensibility of younger viewers but containing much wisdom about caring for the environment and respect for nature.
English-dubbed version featuring voices by Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Tina Fey, Liam Neeson, Betty White, Lily Tomlin and Cloris Leachman.
DIR/SCR Hayao Miyazaki; PROD Steve Alpert, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Toshio Suzuki. Japan, 2008, color, 101 min, 35mm. Dubbed in English. RATED G


 

 

 

 

The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom

The Tsunami & The Cherry BlossomOscar-nominated director Lucy Walker set out to make "a visual haiku about cherry blossoms" in Japan but changed her plans radically following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit the country on March 11, 2011. Taken with the cherry blossom's beauty and ability to symbolize the ephemeral quality of life, Walker links the disaster with the power of Japan's most beloved flower to heal and inspire in this stunning visual poem.

Opening with a long clip of jaw-dropping footage of the tsunami, the film shows water sweeping houses and buildings along like toys, lifting up cars and swallowing people. Interviews with survivors are framed by the metaphor of cherry blossoms, a symbol deep in Japanese culture that suggests rebirth. 2012 Academy Award Nominee, Best Documentary Short; Winner, Jury Prize in Short Film, Non-Fiction, 2012 Sundance Film Festival.
DIR/PROD Lucy Walker; PROD Kira Cartensen. UK, 2011, color, 40 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. NOT RATED

Show times subject to change. Go to AFI.com/Silver to view the complete schedule.

Co-presented by the AFI Silver Theatre and the National Building Museum. Special thanks to the AFI Silver Theatre for its collaboration, including director of programming Todd Hitchcock, and associate programmer Josh Gardner. For more information visit AFI.com/Silver.

Ticket Information:
Free screening. Tickets at the door, day of screening. AFI box office, located at 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, Maryland (opens 30 minutes before the first show of the day). Please note that tickets are not available for purchase through the National Building Museum. Metro: Red Line to Silver Spring.

AFI Members who show their membership card will receive the member rate to National Building Museum exhibitions, including "Designing for Disaster".

Date:
Time: 12:30 PM - 1:15 PM

This event does not require an RSVP. Registered users can request event reminders.
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