Based on the manga series of the same name by Shogo Sugitani, Pompo: The Cinephile is a delightful and beautifully entertaining film that is sure to grab your attention if you consider yourself to be a bit of a movie geek.

Pompo is a movie producer that works in “Nyallywood”, the movie capital of the world and she’s a very talented producer with the ability to spot potential in people and really bring out their talent but despite this, she only ever produces B-movies. Whilst the film’s title will make you believe that Pompo herself is a cinephile, it’s actually her assistant Gene that’s the true film buff. Gene knows everything about every movie and is completely obsessed with them. As a result, he’s doubtful of why Pompo continues to make the same sort of film over and over.

However, one day Gene discovers a really great script written by Pompo that’s full of nuance and great characters. Pompo then gives Gene- someone who’s never directed a film in his life- the opportunity to direct the film and she casts Martin Braddock, the best actor in the world, as the star of Gene’s first film.

If you’re a cinephile yourself then it’s very likely that just the title alone of this film will stand out and appeal to you. And it’s an absolute delight to watch. The film opens with a little song introducing you Nyallywood and throwing you into the world of the film. Immediately It’s very clear that Pompo has its own unique style that will help the 90 minute runtime fly past.

It’s edited in a way that makes it feel like you’re literally watching a comic book right in front of your eyes. Think Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World only more extreme. For instance where there are scenes in which Gene is editing the film or a trailer, rather than constantly seeing him sat at a computer editing the film, which would get quite tedious very quickly, instead, we see Gene physically slicing up pieces of film with a sword which makes the whole thing much more cinematic.

It’s bold and stylistic but it makes the film stand out in your memory much more for being daring and courageous, making it feel very different from other anime films that I’ve seen. As well as the unique style in the way Pompo: The Cinephile is edited, its distinctiveness is seen through the wonderful colours and the beautiful animation.

Pompo starts off as a really wonderful and delightful film but as it goes on the plot struggles a bit and it can feel a bit rushed. They finish shooting the film and then all of a sudden a crises appears and they try to solve it with crowdfunding and things that happen in the final half hour or so don’t quite fit with everything that’s come beforehand. To add to that, Gene isn’t actually a very good director. The film tries to make out like he is through his extensive knowledge of other films and a few good ideas he comes up with on the spot but he’s constantly not knowing what exactly he should be doing and asking others for help which doesn’t quite go with what the film is trying to tell us about him.

Pompo: The Cinephile is bold and stands out massively from other films due to its quirky nature and many of the fun transitions between scenes. For a film fan, there’s a lot to cherish here and it’s easy to have a lot of fun with, although the film does go off the rails a little bit in the third act towards the end of the film.

Pompo: The Cinephile was selected as part of this year’s Fantasia International Film Festival