SUMMER WARS, DANTE`S INFERNO and KING OF THORN Screenings in London Source: Barbican Centre, Sarah Harvey Publicity press release Special Thanks to Helene Muron The Barbican Centre in London continues their JAPANIMATION event series with a double feature of SUMMER WARS and DANTE`S INFERNO this month and KING OF THORN in June. Both screenings will be introduced by anime expert and author Helen McCarthy (The Anime! Movie Guide, Hayao Miyazaki: Master of Japanese Animation, and founder of the magazine AnimeFX). Animate the World 2010 Double Feature Tuesday 25 May SUMMER WARS (Samaa Woozu, 2009) 6:15 pm Dir. Mamoru Hosoda 114 min In Japanese with English subtitles Cert. tbc Kenji, the nerdy hero of SUMMER WARS, spends almost his whole life inside the online world of Oz. However, his real and virtual lives become more complex when he meets the beautiful Natsuki and his Oz account is hacked. While disaster ensues in cyber space, the chaos spreads into reality and Kenji with his gaming warriors must fight the rogue program which now threatens the actual world. Director Mamoru Hosoda breaks free of his early mentor Miyazaki`s shadow with this highly original and superbly paced new feature. DANTE`S INFERNO (2010) 8:45 pm Japan/Korea/US 84 min English Dubbed Cert. 18 Visionary animation directors from around the world have collaborated on this epic exploration of Dante Alighieri’s classic vision of nine circles of Hell - Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Anger, Heresy, Violence, Fraud and Treachery. Dante returns from the Crusades to find his family slain by a hooded stranger, Beatrice his betrothed dies in his arms and is dragged down into Hell. Vowing to rescue her Dante enters the Underworld and embarks on a perilous journey through unimaginable horrors laced with furious beasts. But our hero must search the depths of his own sole before he can defeat Lucifer and release his beloved from everlasting torment. Coinciding with the release of the Electronic Arts game, this stunning spectacle of design has been envisioned by six different directing teams drawing on the finest anime talent across the world including Japan’s Yasuomi Umetsu, Tsukasa Kotobuki and Shukou Murase. Featuring the voice talents of Mark Hamill, Victoria Tennant and Vanessa Branch. KING OF THORN (Ibara no O, 2010) Tuesday 15 June, 8:30 pm Dir. Kazuyoshi Katayama 120 min In Japanese with English subtitles Cert. 15 KING OF THORN is a dark anime reworking of the sleeping beauty myth. When the Medusa virus becomes a deadly pandemic, just 160 people are chosen to be cryogenically frozen in the hope that, when they awake, a cure will have been discovered. But it is the monsters that await them that makes for a truly gripping fight for survival. From the sci-fi manga by Yuji Iwahara. Ticket prices Book online and save up to £2 off every ticket! Standard: £7.50 online (£9.50 full price) Barbican Members: £6.50 online (£7.50 full price) Concessions: £7.50 Under 15: £4.50 Barbican Centre Cinema Hotline: 0845 120 7527

About Barbican

The Barbican is Europe`s largest multi-arts and conference venue presenting a diverse range of art, music, theatre, dance, film and education events. It is also home to the London Symphony Orchestra. With 3 cinemas in the Centre, Barbican Film offers the best new film releases alongside a unique programme of special events and seasons, including the Silent Film & Live Music Series as well as the London Children’s Film Festival and the London Australian Film Festival every year.