Mary and the Witch’s Flower is the first film from Studio Ponoc, under the direction of Hiromasa Yonebayashi. If the style of animation looks familiar, you’ve likely seen some of Studio Ghibli’s films! Yonebayashi worked as an animator on both Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle (Classic Ghibli movies!) and he was also the director of The Secret World of Arietty. Mary and the Witch’s Flower promises more of the same gorgeous animation that made Studio Ghibli world renowned.
The story of Mary and the Witch’s Flower is adapted from the novel The Little Broomstick by Mary Stewart. (Fans of Arthurian legend may recognize Mary Stewart’s name from her beloved Merlin Trilogy: The Hollow Hills, The Last Enchantment, and The Crystal Cave.) The story follows Mary on an action packed adventure, described as “a heartfelt story of a young girl trying to find her place in the world.” Check out the trailer below:
Mary and the Witch’s Flower’s premiere screening is next Thursday, January 18th. Go to https://www.fathomevents.com/events/mary-and-the-witchs-flower to see where the movie is playing in your area. This is a one night only event! Some theaters have the dubbed version (playing at 7:00pm), others have a subtitled version (playing at 8:00pm), so be sure to check the details carefully when purchasing your tickets. This is a national event, with over 500 theaters participating in screening the film. Tickets can be purchased through the Fathom Events website.