The Looking For Anne (Of Green Gables) Movie

Looking for Anne is a $2.3-million Canadian-Japanese movie, filmed in Prince Edward Island and released on Oct. 31, 2009 in Japan. It features a mixture of Japanese and English speaking and subtitles, as appropriate. If you love Anne of Green Gables, you are sure to find the trailer for Looking for Anne as moving as I did. It is the kind of historical story that I am intrigued by. Unfortunately, I am unable to locate it for viewing in North America.

On this page, you will find the trailer, reviews from people who have seen the movie, pictures and links. I hope you will enjoy Looking for Anne with me on this page.

'Finding Anne' was the original title given to this film which is now called 'Looking For Anne.' Looking For Anne tells the story of a young seventeen-year old girl from Japan named Anri who plans a trip with her grandmother but who travels alone to Prince Edward Island with a mission. Her mission? To find a specific Canadian World War II veteran. It turns out that this man is the one who gave the book 'Anne of Green Gables' to her grandmother and who was probably her grandmother's first love.

This movie is NOT a remake of the film but, as Quebec filmmaker Claude Gagnon explains they "didn't want to do a copy of Anne, but rather something inspired by her philosophy, her way of always seeing things in a positive light. You can decide to be happy or not no matter what happens to you and this idea really became at the centre of the script"

• Starring: Honoka, Daniel Pilon, Rosanna, Kazuko Yoshiyuki, Johnny Sa, Mahiru Konno, Ai Takabe
• Screenplay By: Kikyo Gonpin
• Directed By: Takako Miyahira
• Produced By: Yuri Yoshimura-Gagnon, Samuel Gagnon
• Language: 60 percent English, 40 percent Japanese

  with subtitles

• Film Funded By: The Canadian federal government, Quebec and P.E.I.'s provincial governments and Japanese sponsors

"For something more light-hearted, but no less emotionally poignant, check out Looking for Anne, here in its world premiere. This is the first feature from Japanese native/Quebec transplant Takako Miyahira, who cut her teeth working on the films of Claude Gagnon (Kamataki, Revival Blues). In a charming and utterly unfacetious manner, the film explores the cliché of the Japanese fascination with Anne of Green Gables, following 17-year-old Anri (the adorable gamine Kazuko Yoshiyuki) to PEI as she searches for her recently deceased grandmother's first love: a soldier held at a Japanese POW camp who gave the grandmother her first copy of Montgomery's beloved classic. It's a beautifully small film that teeters perfectly on the right side of the line between emotionally true and mushy." ~ Hour

"A strikingly touching film, with heartfelt performances. Loved it." ~~ Tanya Sa

"I loved it. I was crying at end." ~~ Rose Anzini

"I was weeping like a baby and so was Gary. Great movie." ~~ Najoua El Bahi

Generations of Japanese people have known and loved Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables. In 1946 Canadian soldiers in Japan presented copies of Anne of Green Gables to people, sometimes changing their lives, filmmaker Gagnon said of the lady in this movie, "In 1946, the soldier gave her grandmother a copy of Anne and the book changed her life, it gave her the strength to go on." In 1952 the English book was translated and published in Japanese and gave women hope. Since its publication, the book Anne of Green Gables has sold more than 50 million copies in 17 languages.

During the modern-day journey of this movie, the traveler discovers why Anne of Green Gables was so important to her grandmother and many Japanese women. The producers of this movie hope it will help bring the book and an important Canadian literary icon, Lucy Maud Montgomery, to a new generation of readers.

“Anne of Green Gables has a powerful resonance in the Japanese market, as shown by the 70% surge in visitor numbers to Prince Edward Island last year for the book’s centenary,” says Anthony Rippingale of CTC-Japan general manager.

Click here to order your Anne of Green Gables T-shirt.

"This gorgeous adaptation of Lucy Maud Montgomery's classic children's story is well worth watching with the whole family. Produced for Canadian television, it's one of those rare productions that actually sticks to the book and even enhances it through first-rate performances and an excellent script. Set on bucolic Prince Edward Island in the late 19th century, Anne of Green Gables is the story of Anne Shirley, an imaginative and headstrong orphan.

When brother and sister Marilla and Mathew Cuthbert decide to adopt an orphan boy to help Matthew work the farm, they are astonished when Anne arrives at the train station by mistake. "What use is she to us?" grumbles the gruff Marilla. "We might be of some use to her," answers Matthew, who has taken an instant liking to the talkative Anne.

As Anne grows up, her adventures are both hilarious and moving. It's a delight to watch as she forms a friendship with the beautiful Diana and her admirer--the dashing Gilbert Blythe--then dyes her hair green, cracks a slate over Gilbert's head when he calls her "Carrots," and finds a sympathetic teacher who encourages her to attend college.

Richard Farnsworth is perfect as the shy and gentle bachelor Matthew, who confides to Anne that he never went courting because "I would have had to say something." Colleen Dewhurst delivers a nuanced and powerful performance as Marilla, a seemingly cold-hearted spinster whose no-nonsense exterior conceals a warm heart. And as Anne, Megan Follows strikes the perfect note, maturing from freckle-faced orphan to elegant and poised young woman." -- Amazon

Music and Movie Treasures By Brenda

My Facebook Fan Page is a place to share a love of great and, sometimes, not-so-great movies and films. I would love it if you joined in the discussions by offering your opinion about the best movies, the movie-of-the-day, the last movie you saw or, if you are the tall silent type, you can simply follow along! Come on and join the fun! I'll look forward to seeing you at the movies!

Visit Music and Movie Treasures By Brenda on Facebook.