Studio Ghibli was founded on June 15th, 1985 in Tokyo, Japan and, they are one of the most acclaimed and influential animation studios in the world who are responsible for creating classics like Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, and Howl’s Moving Castle. Throughout the entire year of 2024, 14 of Studio Ghibli’s animated movies will be returning to theaters nationwide. These movies usually return to theaters every year, but this year is special since Studio Ghibli Fest 2024 features the 20th anniversary of Howl’s Moving Castle, the 25th anniversary of Kiki’s Delivery Service, and the 30th anniversary of Pom Poko.
2024 is also a historic year for Hayao Miyazaki, one of the studio’s directors. In the entire existence of the “Animated Feature Film” award at the Oscars, only two hand-drawn animated films have ever taken home the award. Both of the films that won were directed by Hayao Miyazaki and created by Studio Ghibli. The first film to win the award was Spirited Away, which was released in 2001 and was met with praise from critics and viewers alike. It follows Chihiro, a young girl who stumbles upon a seemingly abandoned amusement park with her family, but she soon finds out that it is a home for the supernatural and tries to escape back to the normal world. The second film to win the award is The Boy and the Heron, formerly titled, How Do You Live? The film follows Mahito, a young boy who struggles to fit in a new town with his father due to the passing of his late mother. The Boy and the Heron is one of the most important films to Studio Ghibli because it is known to be Hayao Miyazaki’s final film ever. Miyazaki is one of the greatest living animation directors and he is responsible for most of Studio Ghibli’s classics.
If you want to check out Studio Ghibli Fest 2024 for yourself, it can be a little tricky. Not all 14 films will be available to view at once due to their wacky schedule. Each film will premiere for only a few days with limited engagement before it leaves theaters once again. For example, the next movie on rotation is Pom Poko which will be shown from November 24th to November 26th. The closest theaters that participate in Studio Ghibli Fest 2024 are Cinemark Milford 16 and Regal Deerfield Town Center. AMC West Chester is the closest for those who prefer AMC over the other two cinemas.
Overall, Studio Ghibli Fest 2024 is an extremely exciting year-round event that has many fans of animation excited to see their favorite classic hand-drawn films once again on the big screen.
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