The cult classic Daft Punk anime film, Interstella 5555: The 5tory Of The 5ecret 5tar 5ystem, returns to theatres worldwide for a special one-night screening on Dec 12.
Showing in over 800 cinemas across 40 countries, this global event gives dance music and anime fans a rare opportunity to experience the film - now remastered in 4K - on the big screen.
The exciting news for local fans is that Malaysia has made it onto the cinema screening list. A run of shows has been confirmed at three locations: GSC Mid Valley in Kuala Lumpur, GSC Paradigm in Johor Baru, and GSC Gurney Plaza in George Town, Penang.
This gives local audiences a rare opportunity to experience a niche music and art cinematic event alongside fans worldwide.
Originally released in 2003, Interstella 5555 is the brainchild of the French electronica duo Daft Punk (Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo) and the late manga icon Leiji Matsumoto (1938-2023), who passed away last year.
Written by Bangalter, de Homem-Christo, and Cédric Hervet, and directed by Kazuhisa Takenouchi under the creative guidance of Matsumoto, the hour-long film tells a gripping story of an alien music band kidnapped by a sinister human with dark motives.
Brought to life by Japan’s Toei Animation studio, Interstella 5555 also serves as a seamless visual narrative for Daft Punk’s second album Discovery, released in 2001.
The film (with no dialogue) was originally broken into music videos but has rarely been shown in its full cinematic form. The accompanying soundtrack features the award-winning duo's classics like One More Time, Aerodynamic, Digital Love, Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, and Something About Us.
Back in 2003, the BBC awarded the film four out of five stars, praising it as a "visual and aural treat of intergalactic proportions."
Following Interstella 5555's screening, audiences will also be treated to a curated selection of Daft Punk’s iconic music videos, crafted by celebrated directors like Spike Jonze, Michel Gondry, Seb Janiak, Roman Coppola, and Warren Fu, making this event a must-see for fans of music and anime art alike.
On its website, Daft Punk has also launched limited-edition Interstella 5555 merchandise, including T-shirts, hoodies, slipmats, and special Discovery vinyl and CDs with Interstella artwork.
