The cult work directed by Mamoru Oshii will have its first world screening remastered at the prestigious French festival.
The Cannes International Film Festival revealed that it will screen for the first time in the world the 4K remastered version of the iconic anime Angel’s Egg (Tenshi no Tamago), the work of Mamoru Oshii and Yoshitaka Amano. The presentation will take place on May 20, 2025 inside the Cinéma de la Plage section, an open-air evening screening on the Plage Macé beach, located on the famous Promenade de la Croisette.
The 78th edition of the festival takes place from May 13 to 24 in France, and this screening marks a historic moment: it is the first time that this new version has been shown publicly.
A jewel of experimental anime returns restored
The remastering project is based on a new digitization of an original 35mm negative, which has made it possible to recover with high fidelity the dreamlike atmosphere of this cult work originally released in 1985.
Angel’s Egg was an experimental OVA produced by Studio DEEN, with direction and script by Mamoru Oshii, and visual art conceived by the legendary Yoshitaka Amano. The two collaborated closely to create a visually enigmatic and almost dialogue-free story that explores themes such as faith, desolation, and memory. The soundtrack was composed by Yoshihiro Kanno, intensifying the atmospheric tone of the work.
A new cycle of international screenings
The French company Gebeka International acquired the worldwide distribution rights to this remaster in May 2024, while the American company GKIDS plans to hold screenings in North America throughout the year.
Prior to this restoration, the film had only had one significant screening in the West: an event hosted by The Japan Society in September 2023 in New York City. Previously, the film was known for its limited availability and partial inclusion in the 1987 experimental film In the Aftermath, which combined live footage with sequences taken directly from the anime.
With this 4K remaster, Angel’s Egg reaffirms itself as a unique work in the history of anime, and its presence in Cannes opens the doors to a new generation of viewers who will be able to rediscover this classic in all its visual power.
