It has been announced that Kenji Kamiyama’s new movie Hirune Hime ~Shiranai Watashi no Monogatari~ (Napping Princess: The Story of the Unknown Me) will be the opening film at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2017 (TAAF2017) which will be held from March 10 to Match 13, 2017. Kenji Kamiyama is known for directing Higashi no Eden (Eden of the East), Seirei no Moribito (Guardian of the Spirit), and Koukaku Kidoutai S.A.C. (Ghost in the Shell: STAND ALONE COMPLEX).

The TAAF is an international animated film festival co-sponsored by the Association of Japanese Animations and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. This year will be its fourth consecutive year. The festival will have anime movie screenings and talk events. The nominated movies are divided into different divisions such as the Competition Division, the ‘Anime of the Year’ Division, and the ‘Distinguished Service to Anime’ Division.

In 2016, Love Live! The School Idol Movie won the Grand Prize of the Anime of the Year Division, and SHIROBAKO won the TV Division.

Entries are not just from Japan, and there are guests from all around the world. The festival features talk sessions and special screenings of never-before-seen movies in Japan during the event.

In 2017, the screenings will be held at theatres in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, such as Shin-Bungeiza and Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro. The opening film, Hirune Hime, will start on 7 p.m. on March 10 at Cine Libre Ikebukuro. The tickets are free and viewing applications will be accepted from February 1. The viewers will be chosen by lottery if there are too many applications. After the movie screening, Director Kamiyama will show up on-stage for a talk. What will he say before the movie’s official release? It will definitely be a must-see event for fans!

There will also be an event titled Kamiyama Kenji Tokushuu Jouei (Kenji Kamiyama Featured Screening). Details for this event will be revealed at a later date, but let’s hope it will be an exciting event that will let us enjoy Kamiyama’s profound fantasy world!

Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2017
Term: Friday March 10, 2017 – March 13, 2017
Opening Film: Hirune Hime ~Shiranai Watashi no Monogatari~
Screening Schedule: Friday March 10, 2017 from 7 p.m.
Place: Cine Libre Ikebukuro

source: http://animeanime.jp/article/2017/01/26/32309.html