Studio Ghibli is riding a high these days. Last year, the company saw its latest film go live under director Hayao Miyazaki. The revered filmmaker put out The Boy and the Heron after seven years of hard work. Not long ago, the anime feature managed to take home an Academy Award. And now, it seems the Oscar is on public display overseas.
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As you can see below, Ghibli Park posted a photo showcasing its new Oscars display. The theme park received the Academy Award statuette that Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki won for The Boy and the Heron. It seems the public display has the statuette in the spotlight with posters of the movie at its side. So if you want to check out the award itself, it is now at Ghibli Park for a limited time.
Of course, all eyes are on Studio Ghibli in the wake of its second Oscars win. The Boy and the Heron is the only other anime feature to win an Oscar outside of Spirited Away, and Miyazaki directed both movies. With this latest win, Suzuki released a statement thanking fans for their support, and the studio co-founder stressed he was grateful for the honor.
“As producer on The Boy and the Heron, I am extremely honored to receive the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Academy. I would also like to give my thanks to those who were involved in the production of this film, and to all those who worked to distribute the film worldwide,” Suzuki wrote.
“The film began with Director Hayao Miyazaki retracting his retirement statement. Following that, we spent seven years in the production of this work. It has been ten years since Hayao Miyazaki’s previous film, The Wind Rises, during which time there have been dramatic changes in the environment surrounding films. This film was truly difficult to bring to completion. I am very appreciative that the work that was created after overcoming these difficulties has been seen by so many people around the world, and that is has received this recognition. Both Hayao Miyazaki and I have aged a considerable amount. I am grateful to receive such an honor at my age, and taking this as a. Message to continue our work, I will devote myself to work harder in the future.”
If you did not get a chance to watch The Boy and the Heron, the movie is returning to theaters stateside courtesy of GKIDS and Studio Ghibli. So for those who want more information on the film, you can read its official synopsis below:
“After losing his mother during the war, young Mahito moves to his family’s estate in the countryside. There, a series of mysterious events lead him to a secluded and ancient tower, home to a mischievous gray heron. When Mahito’s new stepmother disappears, he follows the gray heron into the tower, and enters a fantastic world shared by the living and the dead. As he embarks on an epic journey with the heron as his guide, Mahito must uncover the secrets of this world, and the truth about himself.”
What do you make of Studio Ghibli’s latest Oscars win? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!
