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Madman Entertainment have confirmed that between October and December 2014, they will be holding a national theatrical showcase of iconic films produced by Studio Ghibli filmmakers Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata. Screenings will be held for a fortnight in different locations around Australia, and will comprise of a compilation of four Ghibli masterpieces in addition to two documentaries.
The four films being screened are The Tale of the PRincess Kaguya (Takahata) and The Wind Rises (Miyazaki) which are their most recent films, in addition to My Neighbor Totoro (Miyazaki) and Grave of the Fireflies (Takahata) which they co-screened 25 years ago. The documentaries being screened are The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness and Isao Takahata and His Tale of the Princess Kaguya, both providing access into the inner workings of Studio Ghibli and the painstaking creative process behind the creators’ most recent works.
Screenings will be held at the following locations / on the following dates:
| October 9-22 | Sydney
Melbourne Canberra Brisbane |
Dendy Newtown
Cinema Nova Dendy Canberra Dendy Portside |
| November 6-19 | Perth | Luna Leederville |
| November 27 – December 10 | Adelaide | Palace Nova East End |
More information on each of the films/documentaries being screened can be found below:
THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA
Director: Isao Takahata
Rating: PG
Running time: 137 mins
Versions: Japanese language with English subtitles; English language version
Found inside a shining stalk of bamboo, a tiny girl grows into an exquisite young lady, raised by an old bamboo cutter and his wife. From the countryside to the grand capital city, even unseen she enthralls all who encounter her, including five noble suitors. Based on the classic Japanese folktale, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, the new film from Isao Takahata is a strikingly beautiful masterpiece, eight years in the making and the culmination of decades of contemplation.
ISAO TAKAHATA AND HIS TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA
A TV documentary by WOWOW
Rating: CTC
Running time: 82 mins
Version: Japanese language with English subtitles
A fascinating and insightful behind-the-scenes glimpse at the creation of Isao Takahata’s THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA. With complete access to the film’s production, we are privileged to witness Takahata as he uncovers the process by which he came to take on the project, the recording of the character voices, the establishment of ‘Ghibli Studio 7’ (a facility set up to meet the demands of a new type of animation that does not fit easily into the traditional Ghibli animation process), the recording of the music with legendary composer Joe Hisaishi, and even a rare meeting between Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki during the production of THE WIND RISES.
GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES
Director: Isao Takahata
Rating: M
Running time: 88 mins
Version: Japanese language with English subtitles
In the aftermath of a World War II bombing, two orphaned children struggle to survive in the Japanese countryside. To Seita and his four-year-old sister, Setsuko, the helplessness and indifference of their countrymen is even more painful than the enemy raids. Through desperation, hunger and grief, these children’s lives are as heartbreakingly fragile as their spirit and love is inspiring.
THE WIND RISES
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Rating: PG
Running time: 127 mins
Versions: Japanese language with English subtitles; English language version
Hayao Miyazaki brings together the aircraft engineer Jiro Horikoshi and the author Tatsuo Hori, men living in the times of THE WIND RISES, to create Jiro, a fictional character at the centre of a tale of love, perseverance, and the challenges of living and making choices in a turbulent world.
THE KINGDOM OF DREAMS AND MADNESS
Director: Mami Sunada
Rating: CTC
Running time: 119 mins
Version: Japanese language with English subtitles
With near-unfettered access inside Studio Ghibli, award-wining director Mami Sunada follows the key personnel at Ghibli – Academy Award®-winning director Hayao Miyazaki, producer Toshio Suzuki and the elusive Isao Takahata – over the course of approximately one year as the studio rushes to complete their two highly anticipated new films, Miyazaki’s THE WIND RISES and Takahata’s THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA. The result is a rare glimpse into the inner workings of one of the most celebrated animation studios in the world, and a portrait of their dreams, passion and dedication that borders on madness.
MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Rating: G
Running time: 86 mins
Version: Japanese language with English subtitles
Two young girls, Satsuki and Mei, have moved with their father into a new home in the country, while their mother recovers from illness in a nearby hospital. To their surprise, they soon discover that they share this home with some rather unusual creatures and even stranger neighbours – forest guardians that the girls dub Totoro. When trouble occurs, their new friends will help them rediscover hope.
