Disney Sets Miyazaki’s Last Film For The Oscar Race

Earlier this month, the President of the famous Studio Ghibli, Hoshino Koji announced at the Venice Film Festival that legendary director Hayao Miyazaki was going to retire. This piece of news came has a surprise to the fans and the world, but is also a sort of blessing in disguise.

Disney is the North American distributor for Miyazaki’s movie and they just announced that the film will open in New York and Los Angeles on November 8 to 14, for “Academy Award qualification engagements.”, meaning just in time for the Oscars, and despite the film being good or not, I’m betting that Disney is looking forward to capitalize on this being Miyazaki’s last picture to score some additional points.

If you don’t live in N.Y. or L.A., don’t despair, there will be a limited release on February 21^st, 2014, which then expands nationwide on February 28^th.

Hayao Miyazaki has won one OSCAR for Spirited Away in 2003 and was nominated in 2006 with Howl’s Moving Castle.

PLANS REVEALED FOR NORTH AMERICAN THEATRICAL RELEASE OF STUDIO GHIBLI’S “THE WIND RISES”

Miyazaki Masterpiece to Open in North America in February 2014 Following 2013 Oscar® Qualification Engagements

BURBANK, Calif. (Sept. 11, 2013) – The Walt Disney Studios and Studio Ghibli revealed North American release plans for “The Wind Rises,” a Studio Ghibli film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki (“My Neighbor Totoro,” “Spirited Away,” “Ponyo”), at the North American premiere of the film today at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film is slated for limited release in North American theaters on Feb. 21, 2014, and expanded release on Feb. 28, 2014, under the Touchstone Pictures banner. “The Wind Rises” will also open for Academy Award® qualification engagements in New York and Los Angeles Nov. 8-14, 2013, showcasing the original film in Japanese with English subtitles.

In “The Wind Rises,” Jiro—inspired by the famous Italian aeronautical designer Caproni—dreams of flying and designing beautiful airplanes. Nearsighted from a young age and thus unable to become a pilot, Jiro joins the aircraft division of a major Japanese engineering company in 1927.  His genius is soon recognized, and he grows to become one of the world’s most accomplished airplane designers. The film chronicles much of his life, and depicts key historical events that deeply affected the course of Jiro’s life, including the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, the Great Depression, the tuberculosis epidemic and Japan’s plunge into war. He meets and falls in love with Nahoko, and grows and cherishes his friendship with his colleague Honjo. A tremendous innovator, Jiro leads the aviation world into the future. Miyazaki pays tribute to engineer Jiro Horikoshi and author Tatsuo Hori in his creation of the fictional character Jiro—the center of the epic tale of love, perseverance, and the challenges of living and making choices in a turbulent world.

The film made its international debut at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month, and its North American premiere with an official screening at the Toronto International Film Festival this evening. It was showcased at the Telluride Film Festival and will also play at the upcoming New York Film Festival.