HIROMASA YONEBAYASHI

MARY AND THE WITCH'S FLOWER (2018)
Starring Hana Sugisaki, Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Kate Winslet, Ruby Barnhill, Jim Broadbent and Ewen Bremner. Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi.

Mary, bored and lonely while spending the summer with her great aunt, follows an odd cat into the nearby woods. There she stumbles upon flowers imbued with a magical juice that transforms Mary’s humble little broomstick. Whisking her above the clouds, the broomstick takes her to a secret place where she finds Endor College – a school of magic! At Endor, Mary discovers that all is not as it seems – there are experiments that horrify! All too soon she confronts great danger – and a life-changing choice.

REVIEWS Mary And The Witch's Flower - More magic required

WHEN MARNIE WAS THERE (2015)
Starring Sara Takasuki, Kasumi Arimura and Nanako Matsushima. Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi.

welve-year-old Anna believes she sits outside the invisible magic circle to which most people belong, and shuts herself off from everyone around her.

Concerned for her happiness, Anna’s foster mother decides to send her to rural Hokkaido to stay in a sleepy town by the sea. As she dreams her days away amongst the marshes, Anna finds herself strangely drawn to the enigmatic house which sits upon the edge there. This is where she meets Marnie, an energetic young girl who seems to appear from nowhere. The pair quickly becomes inseparable. Although, whilst Marnie is cheerful on the outside, Anna begins to realise that she too harbours a deep sadness.

One evening, Marnie makes a heartfelt request of Anna: “Promise me something – that we’ll remain a secret, forever.” Anna begins to wonder about her newfound friend and is compelled to investigate the truth about Marnie and the mystery behind her sadness. As she is drawn deeper into Marnie’s world, she begins to learn about family, friendship and kindness.