In one of the most recognized acts of this edition of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki’s entire film career was recognized with an honorary Palme d’Or.
The most recent edition of the Cannes Film Festival has given a lot to talk about thanks to the fact that it served as a catalyst that many independent films needed to be known around the world.
Despite the fact that, at first, this edition began in controversy, it seems that the houses have gone quite well, and for the first time, the festival has decided to recognize one of the greatest animators of all time: Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli.
Hayao Miyazaki receives his first honorary Palme d’Or for all his work
It was Hayao Miyasaki’s own son, Goro Miyazaki, who attended the Cannes Film Festival in France to receive this prestigious award. In videos already circulating on the internet, he can be seen standing alone in the middle of the stage, while dozens of people cheer him on behalf of his father and the entire trajectory of Studio Ghibli, the most important animation company in the world.
During the awards, the audience was able to appreciate some short films that, until now, could only be seen at the Ghibli Museum in Japan, making the experience even more rewarding.
Likewise, the great effort of Hayao Miyazaki was recognized, who decided to come out of retirement to direct ‘The Boy and the Heron’, his most recent film, which became quite popular and, thanks to his heart, won the Best Animated Film Award at the 2024 Oscars.
It was Goro Miyazaki who approached the film and expressed how important ‘The Boy and the Heron’ was to Studio Ghibli: “After spending seven years on an animated film, the director and the whole team are incredibly exhausted. I think the studio needs more time to recover.”
Finally, Hayao Miyazaki made a brief appearance to thank the award: through a recording the filmmaker and animator spoke about it, and showing how humble and grateful he is: “I don’t understand any of this, but thank you.”
This story was written in spanish by Alan Cruz in Cultura Colectiva
