Studio Ghibli, renowned for classics like “My Neighbor Totoro” and the Oscar-winning “The Boy and the Heron,” will be honored with an Honorary Palme d’Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival. This marks the first time the prestigious award will be bestowed upon a collective.
Co-founded by Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki in 1984, Studio Ghibli gained global acclaim following Miyazaki’s “Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.”
Expressing gratitude, Suzuki remarked, “I am truly honored and delighted that the studio is awarded the Honorary Palme d’Or.” Reflecting on the studio’s journey, he shared, “Forty years ago, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and I established Studio Ghibli with the desire to bring high-level, high-quality animation to children and adults of all ages.”
Suzuki expressed confidence in Ghibli’s future, stating, “Although Miyazaki and I have aged considerably, I am sure that Studio Ghibli will continue to take on new challenges, led by the staff who will carry on the spirit of the company.” Cannes president Iris Knobloch and general delegate Thierry Fremaux praised Ghibli’s contribution, stating, “With Ghibli, Japanese animation stands as one of the great adventures of cinephilia, between tradition and modernity.”
Known for masterpieces like “Princess Mononoke” and “Spirited Away,” Studio Ghibli’s legacy in animation is unparalleled. The Cannes Film Festival, where the prestigious award will be bestowed, runs from May 14 to May 25.
