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Spain's Sitges to Show FMA, Trigun, Buddha

The 44th annual Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival will screen a variety of Japanese anime and live-action films in Sitges, Spain next month. Running from October 6 to October 16, the festival specializes in the fantasy, science-fiction, and horror genres but includes animated and other titles as well. The event will feature Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos, Trigun: Badlands Rumble, and Buddha: The Great Departure in the "Anima't" (animated film) category.

Screenings and competition categories for Japanese anime and live-action films at the festival include:

• Trigun: Badlands Rumble - October 7 at 2:15 p.m., Anima't
• Smuggler - October 9 at 11:00 a.m. and October 10 at 6:15 p.m., Special Session
• Gantz - October 9 at 4:00 p.m., Special Session
• Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai - October 10 at 11:15 a.m. and October 11 at 3:30 p.m., Official Fantàstic Competition
• Buddha: The Great Departure - October 10 at 4:00 p.m., Anima't
• Ninja Kids!!! - October 11 and 14 at 1:00 a.m., Midnight X-Treme
• Tomie: Unlimited - October 11 and 14 at 1:00 a.m., Midnight X-Treme
• Yakuza Weapon - October 11 and 14 at 1:00 a.m., Midnight X-Treme
• A Letter to Momo - October 12 at 12:00 p.m. and October 14 at 2:30 p.m., Official Fantàstic Competition
• Himizu - October 14 at 9:30 a.m. and October 15 at 10:30 p.m., Noves Visions - Ficció
• Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos - October 14 at 4:45 p.m., Anima't

A Letter to Momo and Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai are competing for the festival's main awards with 30 films from around the world. The other Japanese films listed above will be eligible for special category awards. Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos, Trigun: Badlands Rumble, and Buddha: The Great Departure are competing with the Danish film Ronal the Barbarian in the feature-length animated film category.

Various film festivals around the world are also presenting anime films this year. North American Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos screenings include festivals in Burbank, Hawaii, Vancouver, Toronto, and San Francisco. The Toronto International Film Festival hosted the world premiere of A Letter to Momo, and festivals in Warsaw, Hawaii, Scotland, and South Korea will also show the film. The New York Asian Film Festival hosted the North American premiere of Buddha: The Great Departure and the world premiere of Ninja Kids!!! in July.

Source: Anime Anime Japan