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Pompo: The Cinéphile (film)

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Pompo: The Cinéphile
Theatrical release poster
Directed byTakayuki Hirao
Written byTakayuki Hirao
Based onPompo: The Cinéphile
by Shogo Sugitani
Produced by
  • Ryoichiro Matsuo
  • Kosuke Arai
  • Yoshinori Hasegawa
  • Tomohiko Iwase
  • Motoko Kaneiwa
Starring
Cinematography
  • Kô Hoshina
  • Masashi Uoyama
Edited byTsuyoshi Imai
Music byKenta Matsukuma
Production
company
CLAP Animation Studio
Distributed byGKIDS
Release date
  • June 4, 2021 (2021-06-04)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese
Box office¥200,000,000 ($1.8 million)[1]

Pompo: The Cinéphile (Japanese: 映画大好きポンポさん, Hepburn: Eiga Daisuki Ponpo-san) is a 2021 Japanese animated comedy-drama film written and directed by Takayuki Hirao.[2] It is based on Shogo Sugitani's manga series of the same name.[3] It stars the voices of Konomi Kohara, Hiroya Shimizu, Ai Kakuma, Akio Otsuka, Ryuichi Kijima, and Rinka Otani.[4]

Plot

[edit]

Gene Fini, a nerdy, wannabe director with terrible bags under his eyes has been working as a production assistant to Joelle Davidovich Pomponett, or "Pompo" for around a year. Pompo is owner of "Peterzen Films" in the fictional city "Nyallywood" (Parody of Hollywood with the Japanese onomatopoeia "Nyaa"). Pompo is a gutsy, outlandish, rude, and tomboyish film producer who, despite her talent, mostly works on cheesy B-movies.

Pompo's new film, "Marine", starring her constant collaborator Mystia, wraps up shooting, and asks Gene to edit the 15-second ad spot, which he reluctantly agrees to. He does so using unused footage, bringing concern from Pompo and the director, but pleasing them nonetheless.

Gene meets Pompo's grandfather, J.D Peterzen (Possibly a parody of Francis Ford Coppola), a former legend in the film industry and founder of Peterzen Films, at an early screening of Marine. Here, Gene asks Peterzen what it takes to be a great film director, and he tells him that he can make it for himself.

While Gene watches Cinema Paradiso, Pompo scolds Gene for enjoying due to it being a longer film. She admits that she dislikes films that run over 90 minutes, as she was forced by her grandfather to watch many over-lengthed films.

Gene then walks into Pompo's office to find a completed script for a film called "Meister", written by Pompo. Pompo tells him to read it, and it details a film about a burnt out, obsessed, and distraught orchestra conductor, named Domergue, who finds meaning again after meeting a small girl named Lily in the Swiss Alps. Gene remarks that it is cliche, but very well written, but it will also need strong actors since the story's carried by only two characters. Then, a girl he'd seen at auditions a few days before named Natalie Woodward walks in with a haircut as requested by Pompo, who is being cast by Pompo as Lily, causing her to freak out.

We then rewind through Lily's life, and her early ambitions as an actress, moving to Nyallywood from the deep country, failures and rejections as an actress, working a variety of odd jobs, eventually auditioning for Pompo, and being denied. However, Pompo, with her "producer sense", was able to find something in her, and brought her back to studio, though is once again unimpressed with her resume. Pompo tells Lily to be Mystia's protege for two weeks, which slowly helps her develop her acting skills.

Once in the present, Pompo reveals she wrote the role of Lily specifically for Nathalie, and that she had be starring alongside Martin Braddock (Possibly a parody of Marlon Brando), the semi-retired greatest actor in the world as Domergue. Pompo also reveals to Gene he will be the director, causing him to freak out as well. Due to this, at a party for the crew of the film, Gene and Natalie reveal to each other their doubts about their ability to direct and act respectively, but that they're going to give it their all.

On-location shooting for the film in the Alps begins. Gene is forced to work around the script and schedule after a rainstorm hits, allowing them to capture a rainbow not intended in the script. Gene also meets Alan Gardner, an old classmate of his from high-school, who is unhappy with his job at a large bank. Alan apologizes for making fun of him with his obsession of film in high school, and tells him to call him up if he needs anything.

On-location shooting wraps up, set shooting very quickly wraps up as well, and the film enters editing. Pompo assigns Gene as the editor, and Gene begins to find it hard to be able to get the film to a reasonable length with all the footage. Eventually, he decides to consult Peterzen once again, and the director who Pompo often works with, telling him to think of the person he wants to make the film for the most. He decides to re-do the editing from the start, pushing it over schedule. This angers Pompo, as many financial sponsors pull out of the film. Gene pleads for an extra scene featuring Domergue's family, which she reluctantly agrees too. The scene features Mystia playing Domergue's wife, though she is disguised due to not wanting to spoil Gene and Lily's potential fame from the film.

Meanwhile, Alan's bank, which was financing the film, is about to pull out funds due to the film going overschedule, before Alan notices and agrees to take up their account. He prepares a presentation involving interviews from the cast and crew of Meister, but is still unconvincing to the bankers. So, Alan reveals that he had been publicly live streaming the meeting, causing a higher-up in the bank to intervene and agree to further fund the film.

Gene begins grinding out the Editing, sacrificing sleep and his own health to continue editing, stating the film would not be his if he could not finish editing on time. Natalie agrees to accompany during this, although she is shocked by the amount Gene has to cut. Eventually, Gene is hospitalized due to fatigue, but wakes up and continues to edit against all odds. He finally finishes editing, and shows it to Pompo, who for once is moved enough by a movie to sit through the credits. She then tells Gene that it's bound to win a Nyacamedy Award (Parody of the Academy Awards).

The film releases, and it's as big as Pompo predicted. The Nyacademy Awards come around, and it wins Best Original Screenplay for Pompo, Best Actor for Braddock (The seventh time allegedly), and Best Actress for Nathalie, much to her surprise. Gene is awarded with Best New Director, and during his acceptance speech, he is asked what his favorite thing about Meister is. Gene replies, "That it's only 90 minutes long".

Cast

[edit]

The actors participating in this film are:[5][6]

Release

[edit]

Initially, its theatrical release was scheduled for some time in 2020,[7] but was delayed to March 19, 2021.[8] However, the film was further delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] The film was released on June 4, 2021, in Japanese theaters.[10]

Pompo: The Cinéphile had a limited theatrical release in the United States on April 29, 2022, after GKIDS acquired the distribution rights.[11][12]

Home media

[edit]

Pompo: The Cinéphile was released digitally on June 28, 2022, followed by a Blu-ray/DVD combo release on July 12 of the same year.[13][14]

Reception

[edit]

Critical reception

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 96% of 24 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.7/10.[15] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, gave the film a score of 61 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[16]

Accolades

[edit]
Year Award / Festival Category Recipient Result Ref.
2021 Fantasy Film Festival Satoshi Kon Award - Best Animated Feature Film Pompo: The Cinéphile Nominated [17]
2022 Annie Awards Best Animated Feature – Independent Nominated [18]
2023 Anime Trending Awards Anime movie of the year Nominated [19]
Chlotrudis Awards Buried Treasure Nominated [20]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Grobar, Matt (September 16, 2021). "'Pompo The Cinephile': Gkids Acquires North American Rights To Takayuki Hirao Anime Pic". Deadline. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  2. ^ "Pompo: The Cinéphile Anime Film Reveals More Staff, Visual, 2020 Opening". Anime News Network. July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  3. ^ "Pompo: The Cinéphile Manga Has Anime in the Works". Anime News Network. July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  4. ^ "Release date, key visuals, and special news of the movie "Pompo: The Cinéphile" have been announced! Casts, including Kohara Konomi as Joelle Davidovich "Pompo" Pomponett, have been announced | Anime Anime Global". October 15, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  5. ^ "劇場アニメ「映画大好きポンポさん」3月19日公開！キャストに清水尋也、小原好美ら（コメントあり / 動画あり）". コミックナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  6. ^ "「映画大好きポンポさん」木島隆一が演じるオリジナルキャラ、新PVで披露". アニメハック (in Japanese). Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  7. ^ "劇場版「映画大好きポンポさん」、「SAO」キャラデザの足立慎吾描き下ろしビジュアル公開！". Anime! Anime! (in Japanese). February 28, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  8. ^ "Pompo: The Cinéphile Anime Film's Teaser Reveals Cast, More Staff, March 19 Debut". Anime News Network. July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  9. ^ 劇場アニメ「映画大好きポンポさん」6月4日に公開延期. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  10. ^ @pomposan (December 24, 2020). 【公開延期のお知らせ】2021年3月19日（金）に公開を予定しておりました 『映画大好きポンポさん』 は、昨今のコロナウィルス感染症 (COVID-19) 感染拡大の影響を鑑み、より多くのお客様にご鑑賞いただける環境を目指すべく、2021年6月4日（金）への公開延期を決定いたしましたことをお知らせ致します (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved July 8, 2023 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ "GKIDS Screens Pompo: The Cinéphile Anime Film in U.S. Theaters in April". Anime News Network. July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  12. ^ "Pompo: The Cinéphile Anime Film Screens in N. America in 2022". Anime News Network. July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  13. ^ "GKIDS Releases Pompo: The Cinéphile Anime Film on Home Video on July 12, Digitally on June 28". Anime News Network. July 8, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  14. ^ "Crunchyroll - Pompo the Cinephile Anime Film Dated for Digital and Blu-ray". May 31, 2022. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  15. ^ "Pompo the Cinephile - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. October 31, 2024. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
  16. ^ Pompo the Cinephile, retrieved July 8, 2023
  17. ^ Lang, Jamie (August 26, 2021). "'Voice of Silence,' 'All the Moons' Top 2021 Fantasia Film Festival Awards". Variety. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  18. ^ "'Raya And The Last Dragon' and 'Belle' among Annie nominees". Screen. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  19. ^ "Official Winners - 9th Anime Trending Awards". anitrendz.com. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  20. ^ "2023, 29th Annual Awards". Chlotrudis Society for Independent Film. June 1, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
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