Japanese Animation Powerhouse Studio Ghibli Makes History With Honorary Palme d’Or at Cannes
variety.comKaren Idelson When Studio Ghibli receives its honorary Palme d’Or May 19 at the Cannes Film Festival, the creative home to Hayao Miyazaki — arguably the most admired and influential living animation director — will make history.
This marks the first time an honorary Palme d’Or has been given to a group, which sits well with the helmer. Miyazaki’s longtime collaborator, producer and co-founder of the studio, Toshio Suzuki, believes the animators is not comfortable with being singled out for the honors surrounding his filmmaking. “He knows a large group of people have helped make each one of his films,” said Suzuki through a translator. “Miyazaki is typically Japanese, which is to say he is very shy.
When he learned this award was for our studio as a group, he was very happy with that. It takes a long time to make his movies and many people help make the movies.”Even if Suzuki and Miyazaki are deferential about the award, Cannes president Iris Knobloch and general delegate Thierry Fremaux were effusive with their statement: “For the first time in our history, it’s not a person but an institution that we have chosen to celebrate.
Like all the icons of the seventh art, these characters populate our imaginations with prolific, colorful universes and sensitive, engaging narrations.
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