Anti-war story to receive a live-action telling.
Screen Daily is reporting that British production company Dresden Pictures has acquired the UK rights to produce a live-action film adaptation of Akiyuki Nosaka’s 1967 semi-autobiographical novel ‘Grave of the Fireflies.’
Set during and after the firebombing of Kobe, Japan in 1945, the story centres on the achingly sad struggle of two orphaned Japanese children – 14 year-old Seita and his four year-old sister, Setsuko – during World War II.
Producers Liam Garvo and James Heath are aiming to begin principal photography in 2014. Dresden Pictures is the first overseas company to obtain the rights for the story.
Nosaka’s story was previously adapted as an animated feature back in 1988 by Isao Takahata for Studio Ghibli. Released to critical acclaim, the film is regarded as a Studio Ghibli classic. A live action tele-movie was made for Japanese broadcaster NTV in 2005 in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.