Hayao Miyazaki Celebrates The Boy And The Heron's Oscar Nomination

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In a special video message, Hayao Miyazaki thanked the Academy for nominating his latest film, The Boy and the Heron in the Best Animated Feature.

Hayao Miyazaki, one of Japan’s most creative filmmakers, has been a prominent figure since making his debut in 1979. After he established Studio Ghibli in 1985, he played a pivotal role in shaping the animation industry. Known for iconic works like Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, The Wind Rises, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, When Marnie Was There and Red Turtle, Miyazaki’s latest masterpiece, The Boy and the Heron, has secured Oscars nomination in the Best Animated Feature category after seven years of hard work. In a special video to The Academy, Miyazaki, along with Toshio Suzuki, Ghibli’s co-founder and producer, shared a heartfelt message for this prestigious recognition and spoke about the long filmmaking process.

Suzuki said, “I’m very honoured that The Boy and the Heron has been nominated for the Academy Awards for the Best Animation Feature. I’m grateful to the Academy and everyone who nominated us. The film is a sort of autobiography, isn’t it?" While Miyazaki replied, “Not quite, but there are such elements. That’s what I’d say."

Further, Toshio Suzuki asked, “Having made the film, what were you happy about it?" Hayao Miyazaki shared, “Well, I’m glad that I made it all the way to the end. All that’s left now is my worn out self. I thought that it would never end." Suzuki adds, “But it did finish," the filmmaker pointing towards Suzuki joked, “Yes, because the money kept coming."

Earlier, Miyazaki won an Academy Award for his 2001 film, Spirited Away. In 2014, he received an Honorary Award at the Academy’s Governors Awards, for his outstanding contributions. Earlier this year, at the age of 82, the filmmaker secured his first Golden Globe for The Boy and the Heron. Now, all eyes are on the Academy Awards, which is scheduled for March 11 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

In addition to Hayao Miyazaki’s latest movie, the Best Animated Feature category at the 96th Academy Awards also features Sony’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Pixar’s Elemental, Pablo Berger’s critically acclaimed film Robot Dreams and Nick Bruno and Troy Quane’s Nimona.

Last year, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio secured the Best Animated Feature award, while the Best Animated Short was awarded to Peter Baynton and Charlie Mackesy’s The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse. On the other hand, Avatar: The Way of Water won in the Best Visual Effects category at the Oscars.