Earlier this year I was able to do a Hayao Miyazaki retrospective through Netflix DVD rentals, but his films lose their cinematic scope on the small screen.  Characters in My Neighbor Totoro (tied with Spirited Away as my favorite Miyazaki film), Castle in the Sky, and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind soar through the air through massive landscapes and it would be wonderful to see these movies in theaters.  Thankfully, that opportunity will come to New York's IFC Center beginning December 16th when Studio Ghibli and distributor GKIDS do a 15-film retrospective, which will include Miyazaki's films.  The retrospective will run until January 12th, feature new 35mm prints, and will run both subtitled and English-dubbed versions.

But it gets even better.  GKIDS plans to bring the retrospective to Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C., Toronto, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, and other major markets in early 2012.  Fingers crossed one of those markets is Atlanta.  And even if it isn't, GKIDS is also planning limited releases of select Studio Ghibli titles, many of which have never been released theatrically in the US.  If these movies swing by your city, make sure you check them out.  Hit the jump for the full press release and list of movies playing in the retrospective.  Advance tickets can be purchased at gkids.com.

Here's the press release, which includes a list of movies playing in the retrospective and whether they're subtitled and/or dubbed.

GKIDS BRINGS COMPLETE STUDIO GHIBLI FILM RETROSPECTIVE TO IFC CENTER

15 TITLES FROM 1984 TO 2008

INCLUDING HAYAO MIYAZAKI MASTERPIECES

“SPIRITED AWAY” “PRINCESS MONONOKE” “MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO”

“CASTLE IN THE SKY” “NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND”

***NEW 35MM PRINTS***

DEC 16 TO JAN 12 AT IFC CENTER

ADVANCE TICKETS AT WWW.GKIDS.COM

RETROSPECTIVE TO VISIT LA, CHICAGO, DC, TORONTO, BOSTON,

SF, SEATTLE AND OTHER MAJOR MARKETS

 

New York, New York – November 14, 2011 – GKIDS, a distributor of award winning animation for both adults and family audiences, is bringing a complete retrospective of films from Japan’s renowned Studio Ghibli to the IFC Center in New York from Friday, December 16 to Thursday, January 12.  The run will include US premiere theatrical engagements for several titles.

All fifteen Studio Ghibli feature films produced between 1984 and 2008 will be presented, including Hayao Miyazaki’s Academy Award^® winning Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, My Neighbor Totoro, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky, Ponyo, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Kiki’s Delivery Service.  Films will be shown in both the subtitled and English dubbed versions.  (See below for a complete list of titles.)

GKIDS recently entered into agreement with Studio Ghibli to handle North American theatrical distribution for their library of animated features.  As the first engagements announced under the agreement, New York Film Festival presented a 25 year anniversary screening of Castle in the Sky and 10 year anniversary screenings of Spirited Away.  LA County Museum of Art and Film Independent will be presenting these same anniversary titles in a special preview screening on November 26.

Following the IFC Center engagement, the retrospective will tour to major US and Canadian markets, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington DC, Toronto, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, and other cities, throughout the first half of 2012.  GKIDS is also planning limited releases of select Studio Ghibli titles, many of which have never been released theatrically in the US, beginning late 2012.

Eric Beckman, GKIDS president, said, “I am both excited and deeply honored to be working with Studio Ghibli to bring this amazing slate of films to theaters across North America. I am in continual awe of the brilliance of the animation, the depth and humanity of the storytelling, and of the filmmakers’ understanding that even the youngest audiences are capable of appreciating all the subtlety and nuance that cinema has to offer.  As Miyazaki has said ‘Children understand the complexity and uncertainty of things almost with their skin. They cannot be underestimated.’ ”

The Studio Ghibli agreement further solidifies GKIDS position as a home for award-winning animation.  GKIDS began as a spin-off of New York International Children’s Film Festival and found early success securing a Best Animated Feature Oscar^® nomination for The Secret of Kells in 2010.  GKIDS has two films competing in the animated feature category for the upcoming Academy Awards^®, European Film Award nominee A Cat in Paris, and Oscar^®-winner Fernando Trueba’s Chico & Rita, also an EFA nominee. Chico & Rita is being released under GKIDS’ newly formed LumaFilms banner, due to the adult subject matter of the film.

ABOUT STUDIO GHIBLI

Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985 by animation directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata and is one of the most successful and well-respected animation studios in the world. Cultivating a creative force of talented directors, animators, and storytellers under the revered brilliance of Miyazaki and Takahata, Studio Ghibli’s films have been praised for their originality, dazzling animation, and epic storytelling.  The films have become a beloved part of Japanese popular culture, and have garnered worldwide acclaim from audiences and critics alike.  Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2002 and in 2005 Miyazaki was named one of "the most influential people" by TIME Magazine.

ABOUT GKIDS

GKIDS is a distributor of award-winning animation for both adult and family audiences. Theatrical releases include Tomm Moore’s Oscar nominated The Secret of Kells, Michel Ocelot’s acclaimed Azur & Asmar, European Film Award Best Animated Feature winner Mia and the Migoo, Nina Paley’s multiple-award-winning Sita Sings the Blues, and Japan Academy Prize winner Summer Wars by Mamoru Hosoda. Upcoming GKIDS releases include 2011 Berlin official selection A Cat in Paris and Annecy winner Eleanor’s Secret.  GKIDS is also producer of New York Int’l Children’s Film Festival, North America’s largest festival of film for children and teens.  NYICFF is an Oscar^®-qualifying event and jury members include Uma Thurman, Susan Sarandon, Gus van Sant, Matthew Modine, James Schamus, Michel Ocelot, and Christine Vachon.

STUDIO GHIBLI FILMS – IFC CENTER – DEC 16 TO JAN 12