'Kenji Kamiyama makes a triumphant return with this fantastical anime drama about a high school girl who turns into a princess when she sleeps.' – Time Out

Kokone, a teenage girl living in 2020 Tokyo, spends most of her time sleeping, dreaming that she’s a princess named Ancien. Wielding a powerful magic computer tablet, she lives in a steampunk fantasy world that is being threatened by giant robots known as Engineheads. But when Kokone’s father is kidnapped in the real world, she must use the skills from her dreams to rescue him. Fantasy collides with reality as she gets closer to both her father and the family secrets that have been hidden from her for years.

This visually stunning animation is an action-adventure that parallels an imaginative fantasy world with a technologically advanced future. Director Kenji Kamiyama is well-credentialed in the world of anime, having worked as an artist on classics such as Kiki’s Delivery Service (MIFF 1997) and Akira, written the acclaimed Blood: The Last Vampire (MIFF 2000), and directed television episodes and one of the films in the Ghost in the Shell series. Ancien, his feature film debut, is an imaginative work featuring thrilling action sequences that will excite viewers of all ages.

Unclassified: no age restrictions. MIFF recommends this film as suitable for ages 10+