Mary and the Witch’s Flower

Maja is a lively and active girl, forced to stay with her great-aunt Charlotte in the countryside while her parents are away. Despite her sweet great aunt’s efforts, Maja finds life a bit lonely as the only child living in this large mansion. The local boy Peter is of no help - annoyingly enough, he seems only interested in mocking Maja’s for her flaming red hair.

One day, Maja follows a mysterious pair of cats into the deep woods near the house. They lead her to a beautiful blue flower - a witchflower, that bestows special powers on anyone that uses it. With the help of an old broom, Maja sets off of an incredible journey, full of magical - and threatening - discoveries…

From the director of Marnie comes a charming and action-filled tale of adventure, with knowing and playful winks to both Harry Potter and Studio Ghibli universes alike. This is also a movie very much capable on standing its own, with a myriad of visual inventions, and warm and positive message on the importance of standing up for your friends.

Hiromasa Yonebashi (b. 1973) is a Japanese director and animator formerly associated with the legendary Studio Ghibli. He has previously directed The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) and When Marnie Was There (2014), which won him an Academy Award. Yonebashi now runs the animation studio Ponoc together with producer Yoshiaki Nishimura.