FROM UP ON POPPY HILL on Australian Blu-ray and DVD

An Inspired Coming of Age Story from Studio Ghibli Source: Madman Entertainment Special Thanks to Ben Pollock

On July 3rd, the Australian label Madman Entertainment will release Studio Ghibli`s FROM UP ON POPPY HILL (???????, Kokuriko-Zaka Kara, 2011) on DVD and Blu-ray. The top-grossing Japanese film of 2011 and winner of the Japan Academy Prize for Animation, the movie is a screenwriting collaboration between Hayao Miyazaki and his son, director Goro Miyazaki. FROM UP ON POPPY HILL was also the lead title in Australia`s 2012 theatrical showcase, REEL ANIME. Set in Yokohama, FROM UP ON POPPY HILL is a high school love story that takes place in the year before the 1964 Tokyo Summer Olympics. As the country begins to pick itself up from the devastation of the Second World War, the new generation struggles to move towards a prosperous future whilst trying not to lose the essence of their past. The film`s rich and vibrant animation captures the entrancing beauty of Yokohama`s harbor and lush surrounding hillsides and, with a soundtrack that draws inspiration from the finest music of the time, perfectly captures the thrills of young romance and the hope of a new dawn. The English language version features a strong voice cast including Gillian Anderson, Christina Hendricks, Jamie Lee Curtis, Beau Bridges, Aubrey Plaza and Ron Howard. Release Date: July 3, 2013 Year Of Production: 2011 Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Anamorphic Widescreen Format: Blu-ray (Region B) SRP: $39.95 Catalog: MMA4438BR Number of Discs: 1 Format: DVD (Region 4, PAL) SRP: $29.95 Catalog: MMA4438 Number of Discs: 2 Audio tracks: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Language: Japanese, English Subtitles: English Running Time: 91 minutes Special Features Making of Featurette Original Japanese trailers and TV spots Press conference - theme song announcement Music Video "Summer of Farewells - From Up On Poppy Hill" performed by Aoi Teshima Hayao Miyazaki`s speech after staff screening Interview with Goro Miyazaki Yokohama - Stories of Past and Present Storyboards Booklet including letters by Goro and Hayao Miyazaki

About Madman

Madman is a leading independent film and television distribution and rights management company, with offices in Australia and New Zealand. Madman is renowned for its commitment to quality Australian and foreign film, factual content, as well as highly collectable categories such as Japanese anime, genre film, animation and cult television. Madman`s capabilities encompass end to end acquisition, marketing, creative, sales and distribution in all mediums and formats, from the silver screen to the digital realm. Madman is also a proud producer of Australian film and television content. Put simply, Madman is mad for entertainment. Madman is owned by Funtastic Limited, one of Australia`s largest wholesalers of consumer products into retail outlets and an Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) listed company.

For more information on FROM UP ON POPPY HILL, please see the earlier coverage here on SciFi Japan: