April 2024

THE BOY AND THE HERON 

 ''Kimitachi wa Dō Ikiru ka''

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

VOICE CAST: (Japanese) Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda, Aimyon, Takuya Kimura / (English) Robert Pattinson, Christian Bale, Florence Pugh, Luca Padovan

FILM INFO:  124 mins, Japan, 2023, 12A

Showing: 8.45pm Weds 3 April  2024

Japan, 1943. Following the death of his mother, 12 year old Mahito moves to the countryside to live with his father and new step mother in a sprawling estate. There, Mahito draws the attention of a mysterious and mischievous grey heron. The bird lures Mahito to a magical alternate realm with the promise that Mahito’s mother is still alive there. The young boy sets off on an adventure through a dazzling but dangerous world.

Studio Ghibli’s latest animated wonder marks the long awaited return of legendary Hayao Miyazaki. Here, the master director mixes a thoughtful, emotionally complex coming of age story with beautiful, otherworldly fantasy. It has welcome echoes of classics like Spirited Away, while still overflowing with wondrous images and ideas all of its own.

Festivals:

Venice International Film Festival, 2023

Toronto International Film Festival, 2023

Quotes:

“This may be Miyazaki's most expansive and magisterial film”

Caryn James, BBC

“A film full of stunning images that vary from sublime to nightmarish”

Tim Grierson, Screen Daily