Goro Miyazaki, left, and Kenichi Yoga at Cannes, southern France, May 20, 2024. (AP Photo/ Vianney le Cear)
Studio Ghibli, the renowned Japanese animation studio known for its imaginative and ecological tales like "My Neighbor Totoro," "Spirited Away," and "Castle in the Sky," was honored with an honorary Palme d'Or by the Cannes Film Festival on Monday.
This accolade marks a significant departure for Cannes, which has typically awarded the honorary Palme d'Or to individual filmmakers or actors. Previous recipients of the prestigious award this year included George Lucas and Meryl Streep. The award for Studio Ghibli recognizes the collective contributions of the studio rather than a single individual. Although Hayao Miyazaki, the 83-year-old co-founder of Studio Ghibli, did not attend the ceremony, he expressed his gratitude in a video message recorded in Japan, humorously stating, “I don’t understand any of this, but thank you.”
The Cannes audience gave an enthusiastic and lengthy standing ovation to Goro Miyazaki, Hayao’s son, and Kenichi Yoda, who accepted the award on behalf of Studio Ghibli. Thierry Fremaux, Cannes' artistic director, captured the moment on video to share with Miyazaki. Iris Knobloch, the festival’s president, presented the award, acknowledging the studio's magical contributions to cinema.
While no new Ghibli film was premiered, the event showcased four short films that had never been screened outside Japan before. Among them was "Mei and the Baby Cat Bus," a short sequel to the 1989 film "My Neighbor Totoro," featuring an expanded fleet of cat buses, including the adorable Baby Cat Bus. Other shorts included "Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess," a whimsical addition to the world of "Spirited Away," and "House Hunting" and "Boro the Caterpillar," both offering charming adventures with forest creatures.
This celebration of Studio Ghibli followed Miyazaki’s latest film, "The Boy and the Heron," which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in March. A documentary about its creation, "Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron," also premiered at Cannes.
Miyazaki did not attend the Academy Awards ceremony either, so his son Goro, known for directing films such as "From Up on Poppy Hill" and "Tales from Earthsea," collected the Oscar on his behalf, humorously noting the challenge of transporting it. He was relieved that the Cannes prize came in a more convenient box, making it easier to bring home.
