Weathering with You tells the story of Hodaka, a high-school teenager who runs away from his remote island home during an unnatural rainy season. Arriving in Tokyo, he quickly finds himself out of his depth – and the city’s weather seems to reflect his gloomy outlook. That is, until he befriends a mysterious orphan girl named Hina, who appears to have the power to manipulate the weather.

The latest film from director Makoto Shinkai and the creators behind last year’s hit anime film Your Name is Japan’s submission to the recently-renamed Best International Feature Film category at the 2020 Oscars. Much like Your Name, Weathering with You also explores contemporary Japanese attitudes and themes with a little bit of magic – making for a moving and beautiful experience.

Is Donnie Darko a realist drama about a troubled teen (Jake Gyllenhaal) who believes in time travel and blames his vandalism spree on a rabbit-man only he can see? Or is it a surrealist sci-fi drama about a teen who is understandably baffled by both the fake platitudes of the adults around him and the reality of time travel? In any case, in the 18 years since its release (yes, Donnie Darko has come of age) it has become a cult classic, and remains as enigmatic as ever.

Note: this screening is of the original 2001 theatrical version of the film, not the 2004 director’s cut.