Studio Ghibli Awarded Honorary Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival

May 21, 2024 | News On Japan

Cannes, May 21, 2024 (News On Japan) - Studio Ghibli was awarded the Honorary Palme d'Or in recognition of its long-term contributions to the film industry at the Cannes International Film Festival held in France on May 20.

Goro Miyazaki, the eldest son of director Hayao Miyazaki, attended the ceremony.

The Honorary Palme d'Or is a prize that honors long-term contributions to the film industry. In previous years, it was awarded to Tom Cruise the year before last and Michael Douglas last year. This is the first time an organization has been selected for this award.

The festival's organizers praised Studio Ghibli's work, stating, 'For 40 years, they have brought a fresh breeze to animated films. Their works, full of poetry, humanism, and environmental consciousness, have captivated audiences.'

Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985 by directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, along with producer Toshio Suzuki. The studio was established after the success of Miyazaki's 1984 film, "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind," which, while not officially a Ghibli production, set the tone for the studio's future works.

The name "Ghibli" was inspired by the Arabic word for a hot desert wind, reflecting the founders' intention to bring a new breeze to the Japanese animation industry. The studio quickly gained recognition for its high-quality animation and storytelling, often emphasizing themes of nature, humanity, and the supernatural.

In 1986, Studio Ghibli released its first official film, "Castle in the Sky," directed by Miyazaki. This was followed by Takahata's "Grave of the Fireflies" and Miyazaki's "My Neighbor Totoro" in 1988, both of which solidified Ghibli's reputation for producing emotionally resonant and artistically stunning films.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Studio Ghibli produced several critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, including "Kiki's Delivery Service" (1989), "Porco Rosso" (1992), "Princess Mononoke" (1997), and "Spirited Away" (2001). "Spirited Away" became a landmark film, winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and becoming the highest-grossing film in Japanese history at the time.

The studio continued to produce notable films such as "Howl's Moving Castle" (2004), "Ponyo" (2008), and "The Wind Rises" (2013). In 2014, Ghibli announced a brief hiatus from feature film production, but later resumed with new projects under the guidance of both veteran and new directors.

Source: ANN

Typhoon No. 7 Forces Dozens of ANA and JAL Flight Cancellations

Airlines canceled a series of flights on June 25 as Typhoon No. 7 disrupted services mainly to and from Naha Airport and Miyako Airport, with further cancellations and transport warnings spreading to air, rail and expressway operators ahead of the storm’s expected approach to western and central Japan. ANA has decided to cancel 22 flights, while JAL has canceled 11. Two JAL Group carriers that mainly operate routes linking Okinawa’s main island with outlying islands have also decided to cancel a combined 43 flights.

Typhoon No. 7 Could Hit Honshu This Weekend

As of 2 p.m. on June 25, Typhoon No. 7 (Mekkhala) was moving north toward Japan and could make landfall on Honshu over the weekend, with the Japan Meteorological Agency and the transport ministry warning that rain from the seasonal front and the approaching storm may combine to produce a prolonged period of dangerous downpours.

Strong Quake Hits Aomori Prefecture

A powerful earthquake registering a maximum intensity of 6 upper on Japan’s seismic scale struck Aomori Prefecture at around 7:30 a.m. today. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the epicenter was off the coast of Iwate Prefecture, with a depth of about 50 kilometers. The earthquake’s magnitude was estimated at 6.9.

Inside The Shadow Market For Japan’s Temples And Shrines

The sale of religious corporations that operate temples and shrines across Japan is drawing growing scrutiny from authorities, who fear the transactions could be used for tax evasion and money laundering, as brokers openly advertise properties and corporate status for tens or even hundreds of millions of yen.

Japanese Among 17 Detained in Laos Over Special Fraud Operation

Nine Japanese nationals were among 17 people detained in Laos on suspicion of involvement in a special fraud operation, while Japanese authorities have sought cooperation from Cambodian police over dozens of Japanese citizens believed to have gone missing after traveling to Cambodia.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Entertainment NEWS

Hiroji Miyamoto Marks 60th Birthday With Studio Performance

Hiroji Miyamoto, one of Japan’s leading rock singers, marked his 60th birthday with an appearance on News23, reflecting on a life spent in music and performing the program’s ending theme, "Close Your Eyes," in the studio.

GirlsFromAsia Review: 5 Features That Define the Platform Experience

When exploring an online dating platform for the first time, it helps to know which features actually shape the experience — and which ones are just window dressing.

Loneliness, peace and calm in Japan

Aesthetic calm and peace in japan.

Japan Expands Copyright to Include Background Music

Japan's parliament on June 17 enacted a revised copyright law that creates a new right allowing singers, musicians, and record companies to receive royalties when their recorded music is used as background music in commercial facilities such as cafes in Japan and overseas.