Ghibli's When Marnie Was There Film Previewed in English-Subtitled Trailer

Studio Ghibli film opens in Australia on May 14, in U.S. on May 22

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Australian anime distributor Madman Entertainment began streaming an English-subtitled trailer for Studio Ghibli's When Marnie Was There film on Thursday. The company is also streaming a short version of the trailer. Madman will screen the film in Australian theaters for two weeks between May 14-27. Madman is screening the film in two versions, with either the Japanese or English audio tracks.

Prior to its opening date in the United States, When Marnie Was There screened at the Bentonville Film Festival in Arizona on May 5 and will screen at the Seattle International Film Festival in Washington on May 16 and 20. The film will open in theaters in New York and Los Angeles on May 22 before expanding to other cities starting on May 29.

GKids describes the film's story:

Sent from her foster home in the city one summer to a sleepy town by the sea in Hokkaido, Anna dreams her days away among the marshes. She believes she's outside the invisible magic circle to which most people belong – and shuts herself off from everyone around her, wearing her “ordinary face.” Anna never expected to meet a friend like Marnie, who does not judge Anna for being just what she is. But no sooner has Anna learned the loveliness of friendship than she begins to wonder about her newfound friend...

The English dub cast is as follows:

• Anna Sasaki – Hailee Steinfeld
• Marnie – Kiernan Shipka
• Setsu Oiwa – Grey Griffin
• Kiyomasa Oiwa – John C. Reilly
• Hisako – Vanessa Williams
• Yoriko – Geena Davis
• Sayaka – Ava Acres
• Nobuko – Raini Rodriguez
• Mrs. Kadoya – Kathy Bates
• Nan – Ellen Burstyn
• Older Woman – Catherine O'Hara

GKids began streaming an English-dubbed trailer last month.

The Japanese version stars Kasumi Arimura as Marnie and Sara Takatsuki as Anna.

When Marnie Was There adapts Joan G. Robinson's classic English children's novel of the same name. In his second film, director Hiromasa Yonebayashi (2010's The Secret World of Arrietty) has shifted the setting from the novel's Great Britain to a Japanese village on the shores of Hokkaido. Yonebayashi wrote the screenplay with Keiko Niwa (The Secret World of Arrietty) and Masashi Ando (A Letter to Momo, Spirited Away, Paprika). Ando also handled the character designs and animation direction. Takatsugu Muramatsu composed the film's soundtrack.

The film first premiered in North America at The New York International Children's Film Festival (NYICFF) in February.