Interest

Smithsonian Museum to Host Satoshi Kon Tribute on Saturday (Updated)

Japanamerica book author Roland Kelts confirmed with ANN that he will host a tribute event dedicated to the late anime director Satoshi Kon at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. this coming Saturday, April 2. Otakon parent company Otakorp is serving as a co-sponsor for the event, and the D.C. Anime Club as a co-presenter.

The event will include a speech from Kelts honoring Kon's life works, and a screening of Paprika. The Smithsonian is also hosting a screening of Makoto Shinkai's The Place Promised in Our Early Days following a preview of Shinkai's upcoming film Hoshi o Ou Kodomo, a screening of Hayao Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service, a cosplay contest, and an art workshop. The schedule is as follows:

• 11:00 a.m. Kiki's Delivery Service screening
• 2:00 p.m. Anime Artists Workshop
• 2:00 p.m. Cosplay Contest
• 3:30 p.m. Roland Kelts book signing
• 4:30 p.m. Roland Kelts speech on Makoto Shinkai & Hoshi o Ou Kodomo preview / The Place Promised in Our Early Days screening
• 7:30 p.m. Roland Kelts speech on Satoshi Kon & Paprika screening

Seating for the screenings will open 30 minutes prior to its start time, and seats will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. All of the events will take place at the museum's Freer Gallery, except for the book signing at the Sackler gallery shop.

Kelts originally announced the tribute via his Twitter account.

Thanks to Gatsu for the news tip.

Update: Updated schedule per new information from Roland Kelts.