It is the Age of Iron: a time when mankind is just starting to understand its ability to exploit the earth and all its natural resources. But a war is brewing—a war between a village of iron miners and the animal gods of the surrounding forest.
Hayao Miyazaki is one of Japan’s most beloved animation directors. His first feature,
The Castle of Cagliostro, was released in 1979. His film
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, based on his own manga, was released in 1984. In 1985, Miyazaki cofounded Studio Ghibli, through which he directed the box office smashes
Princess Mononoke (1997) and
Spirited Away (2001), which won the Golden Bear at the 2002 Berlin International Film Festival and the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature Film in 2003.
Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) received the Osella Award for technical achievement at the 2004 Venice International Film Festival. In 2005, VIFF awarded Miyazaki the Golden Lion Award for Lifetime Achievement.
His other acclaimed films include
My Neighbor Totoro,
Kiki’s Delivery Service and
Ponyo. Miyazaki’s essays, interviews and memoirs have been collected in
Starting Point: 1979–1996 and
Turning Point: 1997–2008. His final film,
The Wind Rises, was nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award®. In November 2014, Miyazaki received an honorary Academy Award® at the academy’s sixth annual Governor’s Awards. Presenter and Pixar head John Lassetter declared Miyazaki “the most original filmmaker to ever work in our medium.”