Earwig and the Witch

This screening took place on Monday, March 22, 2021 at 2:00 pmYukon Arts Centre

Spring break matinee screening!

Growing up in an orphanage in the British countryside, Earwig has no idea that her mother had magical powers. Her life changes dramatically when a strange couple takes her in, and she is forced to live with a selfish witch. As the headstrong young girl sets out to uncover the secrets of her new guardians, she discovers a world of spells and potions, and a mysterious song that may be the key to finding the family she has always wanted.

The latest film from the legendary Studio Ghibli is directed by Goro Miyazaki (From Up on Poppy Hill, Tales from Earthsea) and produced by studio co-founder Toshio Suzuki, with planning on the feature from Academy Award®-winner Hayao Miyazaki. Featuring the voices of Richard E. Grant, Kacey Musgraves and Dan Stevens, Earwig and the Witch additionally features an English language theme song performance by six-time Grammy Award-winner Kacey Musgraves.

Recommended for ages 8+. Some scary scenes.

Children must be accompanied by adult.

From Common Sense Media:

Parents need to know that Earwig and the Witch is based on the children's book by the late Diana Wynne Jones and is the first fully 3D/CGI-animated film from Japan's famous Studio Ghibli. It includes several elements that are signatures for the studio: witches, magic, a precocious young girl (Earwig, voiced by Taylor Henderson), and a black cat. There are some potentially frightening moments, characters, and images, including a car chase, creepy potion ingredients, and the magical Mandrake (Richard E. Grant), who can grow nine feet tall and walk through walls and is menacing. There's also Bella the witch (Vanessa Marshall), who threatens Earwig and keeps her trapped in a magical house. Other unsettling moments include Earwig casting a spell that temporarily makes Bella sprout extra limbs from her face and side, a witch's hair magically turning into worms, and the Mandrake's demonic eyes growing huge and wild. Language includes a few insults like "idiot" and "lazy." Earwig may not be instantly likeable -- she's self-centered and boastful about how everyone does what she wants -- but she's brave, and she rises to challenges and works to better her circumstances.