The 77th Cannes Film Festival, an unavoidable meeting of world cinema, announces a historical recognition by honoring a legendary institution: the Ghibli studio. For the first time in its illustrious history, the golden palm of honor becomes a collective prize, awarded to this bastion of Japanese animation which marked four decades of cinematographic creation.
Founded forty years ago by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and Toshio Suzuki, the Ghibli studio quickly established itself as an essential reference, offering animated films as captivating for children as for adults. Toshio Suzuki, co-founder of the Ghibli studio, expresses his gratitude by declaring: ” I am really honored and happy that the studio receives the golden palm of honor. Forty years ago, we created the Ghibli studio with the desire to offer high -level and high quality animated films. Today, we are delighted to see that our films are touching a global audience, and that our universe is explored at the Ghibli museum in Mitaka and the Ghibli park. »»
The Cannes Film Festival, by the voice of its president, Iris KnoBloch, and its general delegate, Thierry Frémaux, thus famous an emblematic institution of cinema. “” With Ghibli, Japanese animation cinema is lived as one of the great adventures of moviegoers, between tradition and modernity “, They say, stressing the importance of this recognition for a long underestimated genre.
The history of animated cinema in Cannes dates back to the early years of the festival, with the presentation of Disney short films in 1946 and the projection of Dumbo In 1947. Since then, animation has experienced ups and downs on the Croisette, with successes such as Shrek And Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocencebut also more intimate works like Persepolis And The red turtlethe latter marking the first collaboration of the Ghibli studios with European production, presented in the Un Certain Regard section in 2016.
The Ghibli studio knew how to conquer the heart of the public from its beginnings, with emblematic works such as My neighbor Totoro And The tomb of firefliesreleased simultaneously in 1988. In four decades, the studio produced more than twenty feature films, exploring themes ranging from nature to the human condition, including poetry and adventure.
The achievements of the Ghibli studio have received many awards, including the gold bear and the Oscar for the best animated film for Chihiro’s journey. These films have also marked the spirits of moviegoers around the world, becoming essential references for animators and cinema enthusiasts.
In recognition of its major influence on animation cinema, the Ghibli studio sees its universe celebrated beyond the screen, with the opening of the Ghibli museum in Mitaka in 2001 and the Ghibli Park in 2022, offering visitors the possibility of diving into the decorations of their favorite films.
The 77th Cannes Festival, scheduled for May 14 to 25, 2024, marks a turning point in the history of animation by honoring the Ghibli studio, whose work continues to inspire and captivate spectators around the world.
Neïla Driss
