School bullying also wreaks havoc in Japan. That’s what it’s about The Lonely Castle in the Mirror, a vibrant work discovered at the Annecy Festival and signed by Keiichi Hara. “Anime is a good way to tackle serious subjects by making them appealing to all audiences”, explains the director of Colorful, A summer with Coo And Miss Hokusai has 20 minutes. Adapting a best-selling Mizuki Tsujimurathe filmmaker reveals the parallel universe in which a harassed schoolgirl and six classmates who are victims of the same trauma take refuge.
“Adolescent suicide is a very worrying social phenomenon in Japan,” insists the director. That’s why I got into this film. The heroine Koroko (meaning “soul” in Japanese) will lead a quest in a fantastic universe. Something to give her a taste for life again and help her get back on top with the help of a group of kids as clueless as her.
An ode to solidarity
Visually superb, this generous and humanist film advocates solidarity against adversity by sharing with the viewer fantastic adventures that do not erase the reality that the characters have had to face. “Unity is strength and allows us to escape despair. In our individualistic societies, this is an important message to convey,” insists Keiichi Hara. He leaves time for the public to get attached to these kids who have taken full advantage of it and who finally raise their heads to face their fears.
“I haven’t been a teenager for a while, jokes the director in his sixties. But I can understand how they feel and the strength that being together can give them. The group they form is like a film crew because you can’t make a film alone. He surrounded himself with very talented collaborators, among whom we note the composer Harumi Fuuki whose score highlights the emotions felt by the heroes.
A universal subject
If The lonely castle in the mirror takes place in Japan, what the film tells is universal. “The French public has always been generous with me and I think this story can speak to them because school bullying is rampant here too,” underlines Keiichi Hara. All the more reason to discover this powerful film, which generates fascinating conversations on this sensitive subject.