At the close of its opening credits sequence, Netflix’s The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House splashes its title over a close-up shot of a meal. What meal specifically varies from episode to episode, depending on what the characters eat in any given one. Invariably, however, it’s some form of home-cooked comfort food: oyakodon or tomato curry or stewed eggplant, often still bubbling in the pot.
The dishes aren’t necessarily pretty, by the standards of your typical foodie show, nor do they look particularly fancy or original. But that’s precisely their appeal. They’re simple, straightforward, deceptively humble and irresistibly cozy — much like the series itself.
Adapted from the manga by Aiko Koyama, The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House centers on a rare adventure. At the start of the series, 16-year-old best friends Kiyo (an irrepressibly sunny Nana Mori) and Sumire (Natsuki Deguchi) strike out...
The dishes aren’t necessarily pretty, by the standards of your typical foodie show, nor do they look particularly fancy or original. But that’s precisely their appeal. They’re simple, straightforward, deceptively humble and irresistibly cozy — much like the series itself.
Adapted from the manga by Aiko Koyama, The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House centers on a rare adventure. At the start of the series, 16-year-old best friends Kiyo (an irrepressibly sunny Nana Mori) and Sumire (Natsuki Deguchi) strike out...
- 1/11/2023
- by Angie Han
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Cannes Palme d’Or-winning director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s first series for Netflix, The Makanai: Cooking For The Maiko House, is based on a best-selling manga about two young girls who move to Kyoto to start their training as ‘maiko’ or apprentice geisha.
One of them turns out to be a star maiko, but the other is not so talented in the geisha arts, which mostly comprise traditional song and dance, and ends up cooking for the household where the girls are being trained, an activity in which she excels. Neither the manga, created by Aiko Koyama, or the series are set in the Edo period, the golden era of geisha culture, but in contemporary Japan, where the profession still exists and is respected, but is also regarded as a dying art.
Scheduled to start streaming tomorrow (January 12), the series is produced by Kore-eda and Genki Kawamura, a leading producer behind hits such as Confessions,...
One of them turns out to be a star maiko, but the other is not so talented in the geisha arts, which mostly comprise traditional song and dance, and ends up cooking for the household where the girls are being trained, an activity in which she excels. Neither the manga, created by Aiko Koyama, or the series are set in the Edo period, the golden era of geisha culture, but in contemporary Japan, where the profession still exists and is respected, but is also regarded as a dying art.
Scheduled to start streaming tomorrow (January 12), the series is produced by Kore-eda and Genki Kawamura, a leading producer behind hits such as Confessions,...
- 1/11/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix movies may still be question mark in terms of being allowed in competition at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival in May, but the streaming giant will be present at Cannes Series. The Cannes television festival will mark its second year next month with Netflix going up against rival Amazon in the competition section. The full lineup includes series from Israel, Norway, Spain, and Belgium.
Netflix’s competition entry is the German series “How to Sell Drugs Online Fast,” from writers Philipp Käßbohrer and Matthias Murmann. Amazon is heading to Cannes Series with “The Feed,” a London-set drama created by Channing Powell and based on the novel Nick Clark Windo. “The Feed” stars “Game of Thrones” favorite Michelle Fairley opposite David Thewlis in a story about a piece of technology that allows people to instantly share thoughts and emotions. The tech falls into the wrong hands and becomes a murderous weapon.
Netflix’s competition entry is the German series “How to Sell Drugs Online Fast,” from writers Philipp Käßbohrer and Matthias Murmann. Amazon is heading to Cannes Series with “The Feed,” a London-set drama created by Channing Powell and based on the novel Nick Clark Windo. “The Feed” stars “Game of Thrones” favorite Michelle Fairley opposite David Thewlis in a story about a piece of technology that allows people to instantly share thoughts and emotions. The tech falls into the wrong hands and becomes a murderous weapon.
- 3/13/2019
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Cannes Series has revealed the lineup, jury and masterclasses for its second edition, which takes place alongside the Mip TV market on the French Riviera.
Among ten series in competition at the TV festival are Netflix’s German show How To Sell Drugs Online and Amazon’s UK series The Feed with Michelle Fairley and David Thewlis. Out of competition shows include Starz’ Now Apocalypse and Russel T Davies’ Years And Years. Scroll down for the lineup in full.
The competition jury will be presided over by Dark show-runner Baran bo Odar with members comprising actor, director and author Stephen Fry (Gosford Park), actors Miriam Leone (Non Uccidere) and Emma Mackey (Sex Education), actor and director Katheryn Winnick (Vikings) and composer Rob (The Bureau). David Cross and Jude Law are among those with projects in the short form competition.
Among those set to give masterclasses will be Game Of Thrones...
Among ten series in competition at the TV festival are Netflix’s German show How To Sell Drugs Online and Amazon’s UK series The Feed with Michelle Fairley and David Thewlis. Out of competition shows include Starz’ Now Apocalypse and Russel T Davies’ Years And Years. Scroll down for the lineup in full.
The competition jury will be presided over by Dark show-runner Baran bo Odar with members comprising actor, director and author Stephen Fry (Gosford Park), actors Miriam Leone (Non Uccidere) and Emma Mackey (Sex Education), actor and director Katheryn Winnick (Vikings) and composer Rob (The Bureau). David Cross and Jude Law are among those with projects in the short form competition.
Among those set to give masterclasses will be Game Of Thrones...
- 3/13/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Hayao Miyazaki has threatened to quit before, so you can’t blame the “Spirited Away” director’s fans for being just a wee bit skeptical when Miyazaki announced in September 2013 that “The Wind Rises” would be his final feature. “But… this time… I mean it,” he insisted at a crowded press conference, unable to keep a straight face as the words left his lips — as if the person he was most trying to convince was himself.
Certainly, documentary filmmaker Kaku Arakawa had his doubts that Studio Ghibli — the anime company Miyazaki co-founded with director Isao Takahata — was gone for good, even though it had officially dismissed its hundreds of employees and now sat empty. Over the previous decade, Arakawa had visited the studio on various occasions to shoot TV reports, establishing a rapport that served as the excuse to check in with the director at his personal atelier in early...
Certainly, documentary filmmaker Kaku Arakawa had his doubts that Studio Ghibli — the anime company Miyazaki co-founded with director Isao Takahata — was gone for good, even though it had officially dismissed its hundreds of employees and now sat empty. Over the previous decade, Arakawa had visited the studio on various occasions to shoot TV reports, establishing a rapport that served as the excuse to check in with the director at his personal atelier in early...
- 12/14/2018
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Here is just a tiny sample of the many different ways that Hayao Miyazaki — arguably the greatest animator the cinema has ever seen — describes himself in Kaku Arakawa’s documentary about the artist’s life since his most recent attempt to retire: “I’m an old geezer.” “I’m used up.” And, at the 2013 press conference where he publicly declared that his beloved Studio Ghibli would no longer be in the business of making feature-length films: “I’ve decided to treat any desire to continue as the delusions of an old man.”
As anyone who’s seen Mami Sunada’s extraordinary “The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness” already knows, Miyazaki can be kind of a buzzkill. And here, in “Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki,” the creator of profoundly vital movies like “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Spirited Away” is full-on goth.
Originally aired on Nhk World TV in 2016, and now being released in U.
As anyone who’s seen Mami Sunada’s extraordinary “The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness” already knows, Miyazaki can be kind of a buzzkill. And here, in “Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki,” the creator of profoundly vital movies like “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Spirited Away” is full-on goth.
Originally aired on Nhk World TV in 2016, and now being released in U.
- 12/13/2018
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Director Wang talks to ScreenDaily about working with Takeshi Kitano.
Us-based director Wayne Wang, known for films such as The Joy Luck Club, Smoke and Maid In Manhattan, wrapped his shoot with iconic Japanese actor Beat Takeshi, a.k.a. Takeshi Kitano, for suspense mystery While The Women Are Sleeping in Tokyo on Saturday (July 11).
Kitano, the award-winning actor/director of films such as Zatoichi, Beyond Outrage and Hana-bi, uses the name Beat Takeshi when he works as an actor or performer.
Based on Javier Marias’ short story of the same title published in The New Yorker, While The Women Are Sleeping debuted in early form at Busan’s 2013 Asian Project Market.
Shot mostly in Izu, the film is about Sahara (Kitano), a mysterious older man who is at a resort with his young girlfriend. It is told from the point of view of Kenji, a writer who is also visiting the resort for a week with...
Us-based director Wayne Wang, known for films such as The Joy Luck Club, Smoke and Maid In Manhattan, wrapped his shoot with iconic Japanese actor Beat Takeshi, a.k.a. Takeshi Kitano, for suspense mystery While The Women Are Sleeping in Tokyo on Saturday (July 11).
Kitano, the award-winning actor/director of films such as Zatoichi, Beyond Outrage and Hana-bi, uses the name Beat Takeshi when he works as an actor or performer.
Based on Javier Marias’ short story of the same title published in The New Yorker, While The Women Are Sleeping debuted in early form at Busan’s 2013 Asian Project Market.
Shot mostly in Izu, the film is about Sahara (Kitano), a mysterious older man who is at a resort with his young girlfriend. It is told from the point of view of Kenji, a writer who is also visiting the resort for a week with...
- 7/13/2015
- by hjnoh2007@gmail.com (Jean Noh)
- ScreenDaily
It's a bombastic title that, upon first glance at the unprepossessing exterior of a fairly nondescript modern office building in a Tokyo suburb, may seem like an overclaim. Even if you spot a round window or two, the more whimsical flourishes, like the rooftop garden, the light-filled interior staircase, the lazy old cat, the handwritten notes, and witty reminders that speckle the workplace it houses are only revealed later. But Mami Sunada's "The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness," which we finally caught up with at the Göteborg International Film Festival (whose documentary program this year has been excellent), is not, in fact, the story of a place. It is not even the story of the remarkable otherworldly work that is created within that place. Instead, it is the story of a company, and how a company — a business with employees, boardrooms, meetings, schedules, routines, squabbles, politics, deadlines, and bottom lines — can have a.
- 1/31/2015
- by Jessica Kiang
- The Playlist
Naomi Kawase, Michael R Roskam, Noomi Rapace among attendees.
Danish drama Key House Mirror, directed by Michael Noer (R), will open the 2015 edition of the Göteborg Film Festival (Jan 23 - Feb 2).
Ghita Nørby and Sven Wollter play the lead roles in the drama about an elderly woman who strikes up an unexpected relationship with a fellow care-home resident.
Jorn Donner’s docu-biopic of Finnish designer Armi Ranta, Armi Alive!, will close the festival.
Eight Nordic films will compete for the $125,000 Nordic prize with this year’s jury comprising directors Pernille Fischer Christensen, Pirjo Honkasalo, Anja Breienand Benedikt Erlingsson, as well as actress Maryam Moghaddam.
The nominees are:
Key House Mirror by Michael NoerMy Skinny Sister by Sanna LenkenIn Your Arms by Samanou Acheche SahlstrømParis of the North by Hafsteinn Gunnar SigurðssonThey Have Escaped by Jukka-Pekka ValkeapääHomesick by Anne SewitskyUnderdog by Ronnie SandahlWomen in Oversized Men’s Shirts by Yngvild Sve FlikkeDebut prize
The Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award...
Danish drama Key House Mirror, directed by Michael Noer (R), will open the 2015 edition of the Göteborg Film Festival (Jan 23 - Feb 2).
Ghita Nørby and Sven Wollter play the lead roles in the drama about an elderly woman who strikes up an unexpected relationship with a fellow care-home resident.
Jorn Donner’s docu-biopic of Finnish designer Armi Ranta, Armi Alive!, will close the festival.
Eight Nordic films will compete for the $125,000 Nordic prize with this year’s jury comprising directors Pernille Fischer Christensen, Pirjo Honkasalo, Anja Breienand Benedikt Erlingsson, as well as actress Maryam Moghaddam.
The nominees are:
Key House Mirror by Michael NoerMy Skinny Sister by Sanna LenkenIn Your Arms by Samanou Acheche SahlstrømParis of the North by Hafsteinn Gunnar SigurðssonThey Have Escaped by Jukka-Pekka ValkeapääHomesick by Anne SewitskyUnderdog by Ronnie SandahlWomen in Oversized Men’s Shirts by Yngvild Sve FlikkeDebut prize
The Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award...
- 1/8/2015
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Hayao Miyazaki is a master of animation who has brought us so many incredibly anime films from his Studio Ghibli production company. Some of those films include Castle in the Sky, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, and Ponyo. Today we have a wonderful clip for you to watch from a documentary called The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, and the clip features the master at work. It shows Miyazaki animating the last shot of his final feature length film, The Wind Rises. As a huge fan of animation and the work of Miyazaki, seeing this was a really nice treat. Thanks to /Film for the video. Here's a description of the doc:
Granted near-unfettered access to the notoriously insular Studio Ghibli, director Mami Sunada follows the three men who are the lifeblood of Ghibli – the eminent director Hayao Miyazaki, the producer Toshio Suzuki, and the elusive and influential...
Granted near-unfettered access to the notoriously insular Studio Ghibli, director Mami Sunada follows the three men who are the lifeblood of Ghibli – the eminent director Hayao Miyazaki, the producer Toshio Suzuki, and the elusive and influential...
- 12/10/2014
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Tuesday December 9 is a great day to be a fan of Studio Ghibli. It’s the day Mami Sunada‘s documentary, The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, hits all your big digital VOD platforms: iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, Playstation, Xbox, and Vudu. That means you can sit back and be a fly on the wall of […]
The post Exclusive: Watch Hayao Miyazaki Animate Final Shot of ‘The Wind Rises’ in Documentary Clip appeared first on /Film.
The post Exclusive: Watch Hayao Miyazaki Animate Final Shot of ‘The Wind Rises’ in Documentary Clip appeared first on /Film.
- 12/9/2014
- by Germain Lussier
- Slash Film
When you think of the films produced by Studio Ghibli, certain images inevitably spring to mind. A cat bus bounding across the fields in My Neighbour Totoro. A warrior leaping from rooftop to rooftop in Princess Mononoke. A little girl soaring high above the clouds on the back of a dragon in Spirited Away. These are moments of pure cinema, full of imagination and wonder. How appropriate, then, the title of this new documentary, that offers an unprecedented look into Studio Ghibli’s inner workings. If you’re a fan of the Ghibli canon or of Japanese animation in general, The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness is a must. Beautiful classical music accompanies the doc’s opening shots, as the camera floats gently through the company corridors and gardens, passing over pin-boards covered in hard-drawn sketches and storyboards. It’s a serenade to an animation house whose body of work easily measures up to the likes of...
- 12/5/2014
- by Tom Clift
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Riveting behind-the-scenes documentary The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness offers some comfort for viewers facing a world without new feature films directed by anime legend Hayao Miyazaki. By distinguishing Miyazaki from Studio Ghibli, the production company he co-founded, writer/director Mami Sunada presents Ghibli as an institution that has grown beyond Miyazaki's personal vision, juxtaposing Miyazaki's tireless perfectionism with his employees' unsentimental feelings about their own work. Filmed during the production of The Wind Rises, Miyazaki's final feature-length project, this doc presents Ghibli as a creative collective united by what an unidentified employee calls a common need to make superior art. "What's important here is doing what you want," he says, before adding...
- 11/26/2014
- Village Voice
The best documentaries take a great subject and then get hit by lightning. You’re filming your movie and then, over the course of it, something incredible and magical happens that takes the story in a whole different way. For filmmaker Mami Sunada, unprecedented access into one of the most famous animation studios in the world, Studio […]
The post ‘The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness’ Trailer: A Studio Ghibli Documentary With Hayao Miyazaki appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness’ Trailer: A Studio Ghibli Documentary With Hayao Miyazaki appeared first on /Film.
- 11/22/2014
- by Germain Lussier
- Slash Film
Studio Ghibli documentary The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness has released a trailer.
Mami Sunada's film saw her given access to the animation studio and its chief filmmakers Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata.
Her filming happened to coincide with the announcement of Miyazaki's retirement after the release of The Wind Rises.
The documentary spotlights his feelings surrounding his decision to quit filmmaking.
Miyazaki has revealed that he will continue to make short films for the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo.
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness has received a limited release in the UK and will arrive in Us cinemas on November 28. It will arrive on VOD on December 9.
Mami Sunada's film saw her given access to the animation studio and its chief filmmakers Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata.
Her filming happened to coincide with the announcement of Miyazaki's retirement after the release of The Wind Rises.
The documentary spotlights his feelings surrounding his decision to quit filmmaking.
Miyazaki has revealed that he will continue to make short films for the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo.
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness has received a limited release in the UK and will arrive in Us cinemas on November 28. It will arrive on VOD on December 9.
- 11/21/2014
- Digital Spy
With Hayao Miyazaki announcing his retirement and Studio Ghibli's future being called into question, it’s been a gloomy year for the animation industry. While this may not be the end of the studio, it feels like the end of an era. For nearly 30 years the studio has been turning in one animated classic after another. At least now we can catch a glimpse of magic behind the legendary studio and its two resident masters at work. Mami Sunada's ("Death of a Japanese Salesman") documentary "The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness" provides a rare look at the inner workings of Studio Ghibli. It follows Miyazaki as he completes his final feature, "The Wind Rises." You also follow the studio’s other master director Isao Takahata (“Grave of the Fireflies”) as he simultaneously works on his own swan song, "The Tale of Princess Kaguya." Here's the official synopsis: Granted...
- 11/20/2014
- by Anthony Nicholas
- The Playlist
The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness is a documentary that gives us a rare glimpse behind the scenes at the famed animation house Studio Ghibli. There is a new trailer for the upcoming theatrical and VOD release, as well as a new poster. Granted near-unfettered access to the notoriously insular Studio Ghibli, director Mami Sunada follows the three men who are the lifeblood of Ghibli - the eminent director Hayao Miyazaki, the producer Toshio Suzuki, and the elusive and influential "other director" Isao Takahata - over the course of a year as the studio rushes to complete two films, Miyazaki's The Wind Rises and Takahata's The Tale of The Princess Kaguya. The result is a rare "fly on the wall" glimpse of the inner workings of one of the...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 11/20/2014
- Screen Anarchy
"As for me, I'm done making movies." Here's something to make you smile. GKids has released an official Us trailer for The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, a documentary about legendary animation house Studio Ghibli in Japan. From director Mami Sunada, the doc provides an unprecedented inside look at the inner workings of Ghibli and the daily life of animator Hayao Miyazaki, who has officially retired from making features. I've seen this documentary and it's absolutely wonderful, I was refreshed and felt so happy by the end. There's a certain magic to Studio Ghibli and they capture some of that, then again I just could go on spending days watching footage of Miyazaki-san smile and laugh. This doc is a real gem - don't miss it. Here's the official Us trailer for The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness doc, direct from GKids: Description: Granted near-unfettered access to the notoriously insular Studio Ghibli,...
- 11/19/2014
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Gkids, the distributor of award-winning animation for both adult and family audiences, will release The Kingdom Of Dreams And Madness, a documentary on Studio Ghibli, at New York’s IFC Center on Friday, November 28. Directed by Mami Sunada (Death of a Japanese Salesman) the film offers a never-before-seen look inside the inner workings of Japan’s famed Studio Ghibli, one of the world’s most enigmatic and successful animation studios, creators of Spirted Away, Princess Mononoke, Howl’s … Continue reading →
Horrornews.net...
Horrornews.net...
- 11/19/2014
- by Horrornews.net
- Horror News
Naomi Kawase (pictured) to head the jury.
The Goteborg Film Festival is planning a focus on Japan for its 2015 edition, which runs Jan 23-Feb 2.
Naomi Kawase will be a guest of the festival and present Still The Water, and she will also head the jury for The Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award.
Other Japanese films in the programme will include Sion Sono’s Tokyo Tribe, Takashi Miike’s Over Your Dead Body, Shiori Kazama’s Chokolietta, Kiki Sugino’s Taksu, Mami Sunada’s The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness.
The Goteborg Film Festival is planning a focus on Japan for its 2015 edition, which runs Jan 23-Feb 2.
Naomi Kawase will be a guest of the festival and present Still The Water, and she will also head the jury for The Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award.
Other Japanese films in the programme will include Sion Sono’s Tokyo Tribe, Takashi Miike’s Over Your Dead Body, Shiori Kazama’s Chokolietta, Kiki Sugino’s Taksu, Mami Sunada’s The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness.
- 11/19/2014
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
The fifth annual Doc NYC, running from November 13-20, will showcase 153 films and events, including screenings of 91 feature-length films, 37 shorts, and 24 doc-related panel discussions and master classes. Chris Hegedus (Kings Of Pastry), D.A. Pennebaker (David) and Albert Maysles (Salesman) will receive Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Mami Sunada's The Kingdom Of Dreams And Madness on Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki (The Wind Rises - Kaze Tachinu) and Isao Takahata (Grave Of The Fireflies - Hotaru No Haka) - An Open Secret by Amy Berg (Every Secret Thing) - Gracie Otto's portrait of Michael White The Last Impresario - Citizenfour directed by Laura Poitras (The Oath) are four highlights of Doc NYC 2014.
The Last Impresario - Michael White with Kate Moss
The Last Impresario
Gracie Otto's captivatingly energetic The Last Impresario bursts at the seams with interviews from prominent friends and collaborators of one-of-a-kind London artistic power player Michael White,...
Mami Sunada's The Kingdom Of Dreams And Madness on Studio Ghibli's Hayao Miyazaki (The Wind Rises - Kaze Tachinu) and Isao Takahata (Grave Of The Fireflies - Hotaru No Haka) - An Open Secret by Amy Berg (Every Secret Thing) - Gracie Otto's portrait of Michael White The Last Impresario - Citizenfour directed by Laura Poitras (The Oath) are four highlights of Doc NYC 2014.
The Last Impresario - Michael White with Kate Moss
The Last Impresario
Gracie Otto's captivatingly energetic The Last Impresario bursts at the seams with interviews from prominent friends and collaborators of one-of-a-kind London artistic power player Michael White,...
- 11/4/2014
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Authors Note: This article freely discusses content from the films: “The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness” directed by Mami Sunada, and “The Wind Rises” directed by Hayao Miyazaki. These films were viewed in their native Japanese language with English subtitles; if there is something lost in translation feel free to contact me with a better translation or expanded context of the dialogue.
Considered one of the finest animation directors, Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli has long stood as a champion of traditional hand drawn animation. Those familiar with his work know his stories to be affectingly personal and his characters veritably inked with his own blood, sweat, and tears. His latest film, “The Wind Rises"was released in early 2014 for North America, and as his last film, signified the end of an era. Luckily, Tiff has graciously supplied two films to sate those still hungering with Ghibli appetites; the first being Isao Takahata’s highly anticipated final film – “The Tale of Princess Kaguya”, and the second being Mami Sunada’s engrossing documentary – “The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness”.
Though “Kingdom” is neither animated nor Ghibli-produced, fans may find it surprising how in-depth and revealing it is in its examination of Miyazaki’s films and person. Its uninhibited depiction of both Miyazaki and the studio’s production office invites us into a process often overlooked and sometimes even marginalized; here we can see Miyazaki personally drawing the storyboards, writing the dialogue, and even timing the scenes in his head with a stopwatch – a detailed portrait not unlike that of Coppola in “Hearts of Darkness”.
With the loyal fan base that Ghibli and Miyazaki have accrued over the years, many diehards will delight in this rare level of transparency and may find themselves scanning over the film with a magnifying glass, obsessively trying to extract and analyze every available kernel of information. Though many of Miyazaki’s previous films have acted as cracks into the framework of his mind, “Kingdom” is a wholly open book.
Here are some thoughts.
Kid Movies and Kid Friendly
Miyazaki’s filmography is a solid example of films that are appropriate for children but also engaging for older audience members as his films tend to display the mark of a strong artistic conscience in their thematic depth as well as in their detailed art and animation; and it’s not uncommon for other respected animation studios like Pixar to draw upon Miyazaki’s influence when crafting their own films. Despite this, it is rather odd how alienating “The Wind Rises” may be for children. Previous Miyazaki films have perhaps had more scenes of violence or combat, but these were usually tempered with elements of either comedy or fantasy. Miyazaki has ventured into ‘non-children’ content before – during “Kingdom” he cites “Porco Rosso" as a foolish film since it was not for children - but he has never made a more explicitly adult-oriented film than “The Wind Rises.”
In “Kingdom “Miyazaki discusses how the potential of animation is distinct from what can be accomplished through live action, and how animation can change an individual’s perspective of the world. This power of animation seems to contribute to Miyazaki’s sense of pride and responsibility for working within the medium, and helps to explain why his films almost always contain fantastical elements that could be considered childish (in the best sense of the word). Considering this, “The Wind Rises” functions in stark contrast; it contains very few fantasy scenes to distort its historical narrative save for the existential dream sequences that reoccur.
Miyazaki is, however, a self-described “man out of time.” His works have spanned across 50 odd years, and his audience has grown just as he has. Miyazaki’s constant references to himself in “Kingdom” as a “man of the 20th century, lost in the 21st” are testament to his jaded demeanor towards the current era, and possibly attributed to his desire to create a film for solely himself and the “children” of the previous era.
Hideaki Anno as Jiro Horikoshi
With no understanding of Japanese, it is difficult to comment specifically on Anno’s vocal performance and though I can agree that Anno’s voice is “weird,” I can’t offer a more substantial criticism. Given Miyazaki’s fame and clout, it’s likely that he could have attracted any actor or voice actor for the role of Jiro, but Miyazaki’s stern refusal to cast such perhaps speaks to the intangible qualities that someone like Anno possesses.
During the casting process, "Kingdom" depicts the production team discussing the potential of a non-actor for the role of Jiro, with Miyazaki citing the need for a “weird” and “high” voice that isn’t “dainty.” There’s a jovial response triggering the possibility of Anno’s casting, and though at first Miyazaki seems to laugh at the “joke,” his increased excitement ultimately wins out.
For long time fans of Ghibli, Hideaki Anno should be no stranger, as his work was prominently featured in Studio Ghibli’s first release: “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind”. However in his later career, he became a prominent director in his own right by creating the critically acclaimed (and polarizing) “Neon Genesis Evangelion” series. It is here we see the potential parallels of Anno and Jiro that Miyazaki may have had in mind during casting: Jiro as a man torn between his desire to create planes and his distaste for war, and Anno, who has had a similarly tenuous relationship with his own creation. It appears easy to dismiss this point considering Jiro’s actions have had ramifications on a global war effort, but "Evangelion" had its own powerful impact on the cultural landscape. Though it wasn’t the first, it was one of the more prominent ‘deconstructive’ series of the 90’s in Japan, influencing not just the future of anime, but Japan’s own cultural lexicon.
At the time of the series’ creation, Anno suffered from a variety of psychoses and depression that consumed and ultimately defined the “Evangelion” franchise. In spite of its popularity, it carried with it the burden of controversy, as many considered the series ‘pretentious’ or ‘lofty’ and the original ending outright terrible (Some fans even going so far as trashing the animation studio and sending death threats to both the studio and Anno). With this in mind, it’s easier to understand the heart that Miyazaki may have seen in Anno - a man cursed with creative desire, but not necessarily the ability to impart control on his creation.
There were, likely, other factors involved, since both Miyazaki and Anno were friendly and had a ‘student/master’ relationship (and of course there is the possibility that Anno may just have had the “weird” voice that Miyazaki had in his head), but given Miyazaki’s involvement in literally every aspect of the film’s production, it seems fair that he would have weighed these details.
Nahoko Satomi: A love story
In “The Wind Rises”, Nahoko Satomi is the wife of Jiro. She first meets him when they are both young adults during the Kanto Earthquake, before ultimately marrying him near the ending quarter of the film. Her character is ‘nice’ and ‘innocent,’ but rather underdeveloped for arguably the most important supporting character of the film (her character is even featured exclusively on the film’s marketing posters). It’s a surprising move by Miyazaki considering his history of not only writing female characters, but also creating leading roles for them. What is most unique though is the relationship portrayed between Nahoko and Jiro - a romance.
Love as a concept has never been absent from Miyazaki’s films, but save for “Whisper of The Heart”, it is never shown explicitly as romance; and its portrayal here is rather…bland. Though Jiro previously meets Nahoko during the events of the Kanto earthquake, their reunion is particularly underwhelming. The two are of course happy to be reunited, but it quickly becomes a very routine depiction of romance; not insincere, but underwhelming. Aside from their previous meeting, there doesn’t seem to be much reason behind their love; they simply spend time together. One can argue that it is these ‘little things’ that do lead to true love, but Nahoko as a character is also rather uninteresting - having only ‘painting’ and ‘consumption’ as marks of her personality. Jiro himself is no more romantic, but considering the film is primarily about him, he obviously does not suffer from a similar lack of characterization.
It’s here where “Kingdom” proves invaluable for better understanding the nature of romance in “The Wind Rises”. In an interview, Miyazaki is questioned about the reason he married his wife and his answer essentially sums his sentiments: “I had no choice but to get married. I asked her to marry me. Can’t back out. […] that’s just how it works […] it’s a secret of life.” Considering how much of himself Miyazaki put into Jiro as a character, it seems likely that he put his own relationship into the film; both Jiro and him being involved in a rather solemn, yet endearing romance.
Coincidentally enough, Miyazaki’s wife does not appear in any interview during the documentary, appearing only briefly and in the background of certain scenes. His wife’s portrayal (or rather lack of) in the documentary may cause puzzlement, but perhaps this mystery is the point- an example of Miyazaki keeping certain details about his life private, just as he carefully controls what to hide and what to reveal in his films. As it is, "The Wind Rises" is difficult to classify as a traditional love story despite having many elements of one; but rather than a story of love between two people, it is one between a boy and his “beautiful dream.”
Jiro as the Samaritan
The majority of Jiro’s characterization is heavily defined by his desire to create beautiful airplanes, and though he spends much of the film doing so, he also frequently performs various altruistic acts. Starting from childhood, Jiro shows a strong desire to help others, such as when he protects another child from bullies. As he grows into his adulthood he frequently acts in service of those in need – most notably during the Kanto Earthquake. Miyazaki has never been one to shy away from deeply imbuing his films with his own philosophies or his personal history, and at first glance The Wind Rises is no different as Jiro and Miyazaki both share a love of flight and a planes, but support a pacifist viewpoint; "Kingdom" however reveals the inspiration for Jiro’s humanitarianism.
In the documentary we learn that Miyazaki’s father was the director of an airplane company during the Second World War and therefore developed parts for fighter planes (also the reason behind Miyazaki’s own fascination with planes and flight.) Though this is evident that Miyazaki imparted many aspects of his father into Jiro, during "Kingdom" Miyazaki recalls a story of his father aiding a neighboring family after a devastating house fire. He specifically mentions his father giving away chocolate (a rare commodity at the time) to the family, a selfless act that mirrors many of Jiro’s own.
And yet, Miyazaki simultaneously muses about the conflicts he and his father had, even accusing his father of being a war profiteer. It’s this dichotomy that both Jiro and Miyazaki struggle with – considering the possibility of an individual being simultaneously capable of both good and evil things. As such, "The Wind Rises" can be interpreted as Miyazaki’s most strictly philosophical film as the story primarily serves to try and answer this dilemma. His past films have never ‘chosen sides’ when it came to conflicts and in the end, Miyazaki abstains from outright asserting an answer to the dilemma of good and evil, as doing so would be uncharacteristic.
The Ending
Here there is no major set piece, just Jiro meeting his deceased wife in his dreams and her waving goodbye as she tells him to live on; it’s a bittersweet ending that mixes the black with the white as he observes his creation fly away for the final time.
Unexpectedly though, this was not the original ending. Despite "Kingdom" briefly mentioning this fact for literally only a second, this was in my opinion the biggest revelation of the documentary. Throughout "Kingdom," there is an air of finality that settles upon the production. Miyazaki is of course making his last film, while Isao Takahata, another Ghibli staple, simultaneously does the same. Additionally, Miyazaki’s prediction for the studio’s future is, while not heavy hearted, fairly accepting of an imminent end. With the fate of the studio and its talent already settled, it makes sense that the original ending of "The Wind Rises" depicted Nahoko saying: “Come” instead of “You must live” as she faded from Jiro’s dreams; implying a depressing solution to both Jiro and Miyazaki’s own internal turmoil.
However, the more optimistic change in ending may have sparked from Miyazaki’s own real life feelings. As the documentary comes to a close, Miyazaki seems to have a turned over a new leaf, announcing in his official retirement statement that he “wished to work for ten more years.” Given Miyazaki’s history of faux retirement, it’s likely that he will return to continue filmmaking in some capacity. Nonetheless, "The Wind Rises" serves as a more than adequate headstone.
Special thanks to Erik O'Malley.
Considered one of the finest animation directors, Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli has long stood as a champion of traditional hand drawn animation. Those familiar with his work know his stories to be affectingly personal and his characters veritably inked with his own blood, sweat, and tears. His latest film, “The Wind Rises"was released in early 2014 for North America, and as his last film, signified the end of an era. Luckily, Tiff has graciously supplied two films to sate those still hungering with Ghibli appetites; the first being Isao Takahata’s highly anticipated final film – “The Tale of Princess Kaguya”, and the second being Mami Sunada’s engrossing documentary – “The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness”.
Though “Kingdom” is neither animated nor Ghibli-produced, fans may find it surprising how in-depth and revealing it is in its examination of Miyazaki’s films and person. Its uninhibited depiction of both Miyazaki and the studio’s production office invites us into a process often overlooked and sometimes even marginalized; here we can see Miyazaki personally drawing the storyboards, writing the dialogue, and even timing the scenes in his head with a stopwatch – a detailed portrait not unlike that of Coppola in “Hearts of Darkness”.
With the loyal fan base that Ghibli and Miyazaki have accrued over the years, many diehards will delight in this rare level of transparency and may find themselves scanning over the film with a magnifying glass, obsessively trying to extract and analyze every available kernel of information. Though many of Miyazaki’s previous films have acted as cracks into the framework of his mind, “Kingdom” is a wholly open book.
Here are some thoughts.
Kid Movies and Kid Friendly
Miyazaki’s filmography is a solid example of films that are appropriate for children but also engaging for older audience members as his films tend to display the mark of a strong artistic conscience in their thematic depth as well as in their detailed art and animation; and it’s not uncommon for other respected animation studios like Pixar to draw upon Miyazaki’s influence when crafting their own films. Despite this, it is rather odd how alienating “The Wind Rises” may be for children. Previous Miyazaki films have perhaps had more scenes of violence or combat, but these were usually tempered with elements of either comedy or fantasy. Miyazaki has ventured into ‘non-children’ content before – during “Kingdom” he cites “Porco Rosso" as a foolish film since it was not for children - but he has never made a more explicitly adult-oriented film than “The Wind Rises.”
In “Kingdom “Miyazaki discusses how the potential of animation is distinct from what can be accomplished through live action, and how animation can change an individual’s perspective of the world. This power of animation seems to contribute to Miyazaki’s sense of pride and responsibility for working within the medium, and helps to explain why his films almost always contain fantastical elements that could be considered childish (in the best sense of the word). Considering this, “The Wind Rises” functions in stark contrast; it contains very few fantasy scenes to distort its historical narrative save for the existential dream sequences that reoccur.
Miyazaki is, however, a self-described “man out of time.” His works have spanned across 50 odd years, and his audience has grown just as he has. Miyazaki’s constant references to himself in “Kingdom” as a “man of the 20th century, lost in the 21st” are testament to his jaded demeanor towards the current era, and possibly attributed to his desire to create a film for solely himself and the “children” of the previous era.
Hideaki Anno as Jiro Horikoshi
With no understanding of Japanese, it is difficult to comment specifically on Anno’s vocal performance and though I can agree that Anno’s voice is “weird,” I can’t offer a more substantial criticism. Given Miyazaki’s fame and clout, it’s likely that he could have attracted any actor or voice actor for the role of Jiro, but Miyazaki’s stern refusal to cast such perhaps speaks to the intangible qualities that someone like Anno possesses.
During the casting process, "Kingdom" depicts the production team discussing the potential of a non-actor for the role of Jiro, with Miyazaki citing the need for a “weird” and “high” voice that isn’t “dainty.” There’s a jovial response triggering the possibility of Anno’s casting, and though at first Miyazaki seems to laugh at the “joke,” his increased excitement ultimately wins out.
For long time fans of Ghibli, Hideaki Anno should be no stranger, as his work was prominently featured in Studio Ghibli’s first release: “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind”. However in his later career, he became a prominent director in his own right by creating the critically acclaimed (and polarizing) “Neon Genesis Evangelion” series. It is here we see the potential parallels of Anno and Jiro that Miyazaki may have had in mind during casting: Jiro as a man torn between his desire to create planes and his distaste for war, and Anno, who has had a similarly tenuous relationship with his own creation. It appears easy to dismiss this point considering Jiro’s actions have had ramifications on a global war effort, but "Evangelion" had its own powerful impact on the cultural landscape. Though it wasn’t the first, it was one of the more prominent ‘deconstructive’ series of the 90’s in Japan, influencing not just the future of anime, but Japan’s own cultural lexicon.
At the time of the series’ creation, Anno suffered from a variety of psychoses and depression that consumed and ultimately defined the “Evangelion” franchise. In spite of its popularity, it carried with it the burden of controversy, as many considered the series ‘pretentious’ or ‘lofty’ and the original ending outright terrible (Some fans even going so far as trashing the animation studio and sending death threats to both the studio and Anno). With this in mind, it’s easier to understand the heart that Miyazaki may have seen in Anno - a man cursed with creative desire, but not necessarily the ability to impart control on his creation.
There were, likely, other factors involved, since both Miyazaki and Anno were friendly and had a ‘student/master’ relationship (and of course there is the possibility that Anno may just have had the “weird” voice that Miyazaki had in his head), but given Miyazaki’s involvement in literally every aspect of the film’s production, it seems fair that he would have weighed these details.
Nahoko Satomi: A love story
In “The Wind Rises”, Nahoko Satomi is the wife of Jiro. She first meets him when they are both young adults during the Kanto Earthquake, before ultimately marrying him near the ending quarter of the film. Her character is ‘nice’ and ‘innocent,’ but rather underdeveloped for arguably the most important supporting character of the film (her character is even featured exclusively on the film’s marketing posters). It’s a surprising move by Miyazaki considering his history of not only writing female characters, but also creating leading roles for them. What is most unique though is the relationship portrayed between Nahoko and Jiro - a romance.
Love as a concept has never been absent from Miyazaki’s films, but save for “Whisper of The Heart”, it is never shown explicitly as romance; and its portrayal here is rather…bland. Though Jiro previously meets Nahoko during the events of the Kanto earthquake, their reunion is particularly underwhelming. The two are of course happy to be reunited, but it quickly becomes a very routine depiction of romance; not insincere, but underwhelming. Aside from their previous meeting, there doesn’t seem to be much reason behind their love; they simply spend time together. One can argue that it is these ‘little things’ that do lead to true love, but Nahoko as a character is also rather uninteresting - having only ‘painting’ and ‘consumption’ as marks of her personality. Jiro himself is no more romantic, but considering the film is primarily about him, he obviously does not suffer from a similar lack of characterization.
It’s here where “Kingdom” proves invaluable for better understanding the nature of romance in “The Wind Rises”. In an interview, Miyazaki is questioned about the reason he married his wife and his answer essentially sums his sentiments: “I had no choice but to get married. I asked her to marry me. Can’t back out. […] that’s just how it works […] it’s a secret of life.” Considering how much of himself Miyazaki put into Jiro as a character, it seems likely that he put his own relationship into the film; both Jiro and him being involved in a rather solemn, yet endearing romance.
Coincidentally enough, Miyazaki’s wife does not appear in any interview during the documentary, appearing only briefly and in the background of certain scenes. His wife’s portrayal (or rather lack of) in the documentary may cause puzzlement, but perhaps this mystery is the point- an example of Miyazaki keeping certain details about his life private, just as he carefully controls what to hide and what to reveal in his films. As it is, "The Wind Rises" is difficult to classify as a traditional love story despite having many elements of one; but rather than a story of love between two people, it is one between a boy and his “beautiful dream.”
Jiro as the Samaritan
The majority of Jiro’s characterization is heavily defined by his desire to create beautiful airplanes, and though he spends much of the film doing so, he also frequently performs various altruistic acts. Starting from childhood, Jiro shows a strong desire to help others, such as when he protects another child from bullies. As he grows into his adulthood he frequently acts in service of those in need – most notably during the Kanto Earthquake. Miyazaki has never been one to shy away from deeply imbuing his films with his own philosophies or his personal history, and at first glance The Wind Rises is no different as Jiro and Miyazaki both share a love of flight and a planes, but support a pacifist viewpoint; "Kingdom" however reveals the inspiration for Jiro’s humanitarianism.
In the documentary we learn that Miyazaki’s father was the director of an airplane company during the Second World War and therefore developed parts for fighter planes (also the reason behind Miyazaki’s own fascination with planes and flight.) Though this is evident that Miyazaki imparted many aspects of his father into Jiro, during "Kingdom" Miyazaki recalls a story of his father aiding a neighboring family after a devastating house fire. He specifically mentions his father giving away chocolate (a rare commodity at the time) to the family, a selfless act that mirrors many of Jiro’s own.
And yet, Miyazaki simultaneously muses about the conflicts he and his father had, even accusing his father of being a war profiteer. It’s this dichotomy that both Jiro and Miyazaki struggle with – considering the possibility of an individual being simultaneously capable of both good and evil things. As such, "The Wind Rises" can be interpreted as Miyazaki’s most strictly philosophical film as the story primarily serves to try and answer this dilemma. His past films have never ‘chosen sides’ when it came to conflicts and in the end, Miyazaki abstains from outright asserting an answer to the dilemma of good and evil, as doing so would be uncharacteristic.
The Ending
Here there is no major set piece, just Jiro meeting his deceased wife in his dreams and her waving goodbye as she tells him to live on; it’s a bittersweet ending that mixes the black with the white as he observes his creation fly away for the final time.
Unexpectedly though, this was not the original ending. Despite "Kingdom" briefly mentioning this fact for literally only a second, this was in my opinion the biggest revelation of the documentary. Throughout "Kingdom," there is an air of finality that settles upon the production. Miyazaki is of course making his last film, while Isao Takahata, another Ghibli staple, simultaneously does the same. Additionally, Miyazaki’s prediction for the studio’s future is, while not heavy hearted, fairly accepting of an imminent end. With the fate of the studio and its talent already settled, it makes sense that the original ending of "The Wind Rises" depicted Nahoko saying: “Come” instead of “You must live” as she faded from Jiro’s dreams; implying a depressing solution to both Jiro and Miyazaki’s own internal turmoil.
However, the more optimistic change in ending may have sparked from Miyazaki’s own real life feelings. As the documentary comes to a close, Miyazaki seems to have a turned over a new leaf, announcing in his official retirement statement that he “wished to work for ten more years.” Given Miyazaki’s history of faux retirement, it’s likely that he will return to continue filmmaking in some capacity. Nonetheless, "The Wind Rises" serves as a more than adequate headstone.
Special thanks to Erik O'Malley.
- 10/21/2014
- by Vincent Lay
- Sydney's Buzz
As 19 titles are revealed for the Zabaltegi section, Danis Tanovic’s Tigers is added to the official competition and The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby has entered the Pearls section.
The 62nd San Sebastian Festival has unveiled the titles for its Zabaltegi section, a non-competitive strand featuring a variety of films, documentaries, shorts and television.
This year’s line-up will include world premieres of four features made in Spain: Virginia García del Pino’s Basilio Martín Patino. The Tenth Letter; Borja Cobeaga’s Negotiator; Francisco Sánchez Varela’s Paco De Lucía: La Búsqueda; and Pedro González Bermúdez’s documentary When Bette Davis Bids Farewell.
The strand will also include the Spanish premieres of the latest works by Ulrich Seidl and Kazuyoshi Kumakiri as well as a screening of Bruno Dumont’s TV series Lil´Quinquin.
In addition, Danis Tanovic’s Tigers will compete in the Official Selection, while the Pearls section has added Ned Benson’s relationship...
The 62nd San Sebastian Festival has unveiled the titles for its Zabaltegi section, a non-competitive strand featuring a variety of films, documentaries, shorts and television.
This year’s line-up will include world premieres of four features made in Spain: Virginia García del Pino’s Basilio Martín Patino. The Tenth Letter; Borja Cobeaga’s Negotiator; Francisco Sánchez Varela’s Paco De Lucía: La Búsqueda; and Pedro González Bermúdez’s documentary When Bette Davis Bids Farewell.
The strand will also include the Spanish premieres of the latest works by Ulrich Seidl and Kazuyoshi Kumakiri as well as a screening of Bruno Dumont’s TV series Lil´Quinquin.
In addition, Danis Tanovic’s Tigers will compete in the Official Selection, while the Pearls section has added Ned Benson’s relationship...
- 8/25/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
The lineups for the Mavericks, Discovery, and Tiff Kids parts of the Toronto Film Festival were announced, wrapping up a series of lineup announcements for the Toronto International Film Festival.
With the added films, the festival’s entire slate is now a whopping 393 movies. Two hundred eighty-five of those movies are feature films, of which 143 are world premieres.
The Mavericks portion of the festival includes onstage discussions following the screening of each film. Do I Sound Gay? will be followed by a talk between director David Thorpe and sex-advice guru Dan Savage. Also premiering in that space is The 50 Year Argument,...
With the added films, the festival’s entire slate is now a whopping 393 movies. Two hundred eighty-five of those movies are feature films, of which 143 are world premieres.
The Mavericks portion of the festival includes onstage discussions following the screening of each film. Do I Sound Gay? will be followed by a talk between director David Thorpe and sex-advice guru Dan Savage. Also premiering in that space is The 50 Year Argument,...
- 8/19/2014
- by Jacob Shamsian
- EW - Inside Movies
Bill Murray is coming to Toronto folks. Actually, the film he stars in (Theodore Melfi’s St. Vincent) is having its official World Premiere launch at the jaw-dropping 285 feature film 2014 Tiff line-up. In the final batch of items we finally get the confirmation that 2014′s Palme d’Or Winner Winter Sleep (which gets added along with a trio of others to the Masters Programme) will show, and Tomm Moore’s highly anticipated Song of the Sea (among the four item line-up for Tiff Kids) also lands. Worth mentioning are the sprinkling of add-ons to the various other sections (Marjane Satrapi’s Sundance preemed The Voices, Matt Shakman’s Cut Bank and the world preem of Danis Tanovic’s Tigers) with a Studio Ghibli docu item being fitted into the Tiff Docs, but it is the Discovery Programme that finally takes shape.
The “up-and-comers” include Berlin Film Fest (and future Nyff...
The “up-and-comers” include Berlin Film Fest (and future Nyff...
- 8/19/2014
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
The 2014 Toronto Film Festival lineup got a lot stronger this morning by adding several new titles to the Special Presentations, Masters, Documentaries, Vanguard and Contemporary World Cinema selection as well as announcing the Mavericks and Discovery Programme picks. Most notable selections begin with Special Presentations additions of The Weinstein's St. Vincent starring Bill Murray and Melissa McCarty and James Franco's The Sound and the Fury. The St. Vincent screening will be a world premiere and suggest Murray will be walking the Tiff red carpet... now that's a get for the fest I'm sure brings a smile to their face. In the Masters selection we have Studio Ghibli's The Tale of Princess Kaguya as well as the Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or winner, Nuri Bilge Ceylan's Winter Sleep. The Vanguard selection has added The Voice, the lastest film from Persepolis helmer Marjane Satrapi and in the Mavericks selection...
- 8/19/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Bill Murray starrer St. Vincent will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival as part of this week’s wave of programming that includes Discovery.
The Discovery section includes the upcoming world premiere of Stories Of Our Lives, a portmanteau of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex testimonies by anonymous filmmakers from Kenya.
Selections include first-looks of Ross Katz’s Us comedy Adult Beginners, Sarah Leonor’s French Legion drama The Great Man, Isidora Marras’ Chile-Argentinian psychothriller I Am Not Lorena and UK drama X + Y.
“Christopher Nolan, Steve McQueen, Lynne Ramsay and David Gordon Green all presented their first features in our Discovery section,” said Tiff artistic director Cameron Bailey. “It’s a great place to spot new talent first.”
Besides St. Vincent, Festival Additions includes concert film cum road movie Roger Waters The Wall, while the world premiere of Krzysztof Zanussi’s Foreign Body takes its place among the Masters strand.
Tiff Docs arrivals...
The Discovery section includes the upcoming world premiere of Stories Of Our Lives, a portmanteau of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex testimonies by anonymous filmmakers from Kenya.
Selections include first-looks of Ross Katz’s Us comedy Adult Beginners, Sarah Leonor’s French Legion drama The Great Man, Isidora Marras’ Chile-Argentinian psychothriller I Am Not Lorena and UK drama X + Y.
“Christopher Nolan, Steve McQueen, Lynne Ramsay and David Gordon Green all presented their first features in our Discovery section,” said Tiff artistic director Cameron Bailey. “It’s a great place to spot new talent first.”
Besides St. Vincent, Festival Additions includes concert film cum road movie Roger Waters The Wall, while the world premiere of Krzysztof Zanussi’s Foreign Body takes its place among the Masters strand.
Tiff Docs arrivals...
- 8/19/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
The company has picked up North American rights from ICM Partners to Stephen Belber’s drama starring Patrick Stewart, Carla Gugino and Matthew Lillard.
The story, based on Belber’s Tony-nominated stage play, premiered at Tribeca and follows a couple who visit a renowned dance instructor ostensibly to interview him about his past.
David Permut, Matt Ratner and Rick Rosenthal produced while David Beitchman, Adam Brawer, Chris Mangano, Nick Morton and Lawrence Kopeikin are the executive producers.
Gravitas Ventures has picked up Us rights from UTA to fashion photographer and filmmaker Carter Smith’s Jamie Marks Is Dead. The teen horror thriller is based on Christopher Barzak’s novel One For Sorrow and premiered at Sundance. The cast includes Cameron Monaghan, Morgan Saylor and Liv Tyler. Verisimilitude’s Alexander Orlovsky and Hunter Gray produced with Jacob Jaffke, Omri Bezalel and Smith. Gravitas has set an August 29 theatrical and digital release.McN The Orchard...
The story, based on Belber’s Tony-nominated stage play, premiered at Tribeca and follows a couple who visit a renowned dance instructor ostensibly to interview him about his past.
David Permut, Matt Ratner and Rick Rosenthal produced while David Beitchman, Adam Brawer, Chris Mangano, Nick Morton and Lawrence Kopeikin are the executive producers.
Gravitas Ventures has picked up Us rights from UTA to fashion photographer and filmmaker Carter Smith’s Jamie Marks Is Dead. The teen horror thriller is based on Christopher Barzak’s novel One For Sorrow and premiered at Sundance. The cast includes Cameron Monaghan, Morgan Saylor and Liv Tyler. Verisimilitude’s Alexander Orlovsky and Hunter Gray produced with Jacob Jaffke, Omri Bezalel and Smith. Gravitas has set an August 29 theatrical and digital release.McN The Orchard...
- 6/12/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Animation distributor GKids has acquired the North American rights to "The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness," a new documentary about the powerhouse Japanese animation shop "Studio Ghibli." Director Mami Sunada, whose 2011 documentary "Death of a Japanese Salesman" told the story of the illness and death of her father, was granted unprecedented access into the usually-insular Studio Ghibli. During her time at Ghibli, she followed three of the studio's most important men: legendary director Hayao Miyazaki, producer Toshio Suzuki and Isao Takahata, the studio's "other director" who has been the driving force behind many of Ghibli's non-Miyazaki hits. Sunada filmed for a year as Studio Ghibli raced to finish Miyazaki's "The Wind Rises" (Anne Thompson's interview with Miyazaki here, Studio Ghibli exec Jeffrey Wexler here) as well as Takahata's "The Tale of Princess Kaguya," both of which were released in Japan in 2013. "Kingdom" is screening today at the Annecy Festival in France and.
- 6/12/2014
- by Jacob Combs
- Thompson on Hollywood
This sounds delightful. Gkids, a Us distributor of animation from all over the world, has acquired rights to release the documentary The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness in North America. The doc is actually an inside look at Studio Ghibli, and the three men who are the "lifeblood of Ghibli": director Hayao Miyazaki, producer Toshio Suzuki, and the elusive Isao Takahata (all three seen above). Gkids picked up the film prior to its appearance at Annecy International Animation Film Festival, but will likely release it in theaters later this year along with Ghibli's next Us release, The Tale of The Princess Kaguya. More below. Synopsis: Granted near-unfettered access to the notoriously insular Studio Ghibli, director Mami Sunada follows the three men who are the lifeblood of Ghibli – the eminent director Hayao Miyazaki, the producer Toshio Suzuki, and the elusive and influential "other director" Isao Takahata – over the course of...
- 6/12/2014
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Mami Sunada ("Ending Note: Death of a Japanese Salaryman") is currently at work on the documentary "The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness".
Said project is chronicling the making of the next two animated features by Japan's world famous animation house Studio Ghibli.
Those projects? Hayao Miyazaki's "The Wind Rises" and Isao Takahata's "The Tale of Princess Kaguya". 'Wind' is slated to open next week in Japan, 'Kaguya' opens later this Fall.
Of the title, Sunada says: "I think that having a dream entails having a bit of madness, no matter what the profession. There are times when you will go to extremes, and times when you are feared by others for that."
The documentary will open in cinemas in Japan this Fall.
Source: Anime News Network...
Said project is chronicling the making of the next two animated features by Japan's world famous animation house Studio Ghibli.
Those projects? Hayao Miyazaki's "The Wind Rises" and Isao Takahata's "The Tale of Princess Kaguya". 'Wind' is slated to open next week in Japan, 'Kaguya' opens later this Fall.
Of the title, Sunada says: "I think that having a dream entails having a bit of madness, no matter what the profession. There are times when you will go to extremes, and times when you are feared by others for that."
The documentary will open in cinemas in Japan this Fall.
Source: Anime News Network...
- 7/10/2013
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Exciting news lands today for Studio Ghibli fans. Filmmaker Mami Sunada is completing the final cut on a documentary that goes behind the scenes of the legendary Japanese animation studio. The film is titled "The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness," and centers -- naturally -- on auteur Hayao Miyazaki, who is finishing "Kaze Tachinu," and on Isao Takahata ("Grave of the Fireflies"), who has "The Tale of Princess Kaguya" in the pipeline. Also a point of focus is producer Toshio Suzuki, who is helping on both projects. Few other details have emerged about the doc, but it will premiere in Japan this fall. Per the Film Stage, it will offer a "fly-on-the-wall look at everyday work at the studio." Meanwhile, Miyazaki's "Kaze Tachinu" ("The Wind Rises") is scheduled for a debut in Japan in less than two weeks. It is the director's first film in five years, and centers on...
- 7/10/2013
- by Beth Hanna
- Thompson on Hollywood
The first trailer from Hayao Miyazaki's newest film, The Wind Rises, just arrived in June. However, Miyazaki's work and the animation house Studio Ghibli will be getting more screentime this year. Anime News Network (via The Film Stage) reports that Mami Sunada (Ending Note: Death of a Japanese Salaryman) is finishing up a documentary called The Kingdom of Dreams & Madness, which will go behind the scenes of Studio Ghibli and follow Miyazaki as he completes The Wind Rises, director Isao Takahata working on The Tale of Princess Kaguya, and producer Toshio Suzuki, working on both. The film is supposed to hit theaters in Japan this fall, but we're not sure when it might arrive in the United States. Sunada commented on the title saying, "I think that having a dream entails having a bit of madness, no matter what the profession. There are times when you will go to extremes,...
- 7/9/2013
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
Chicago – The 2011 47th Annual Chicago International Film Festival and Michael Kutza, Founder and Artistic Director, announced the competition award winners at a ceremony in the new Public Chicago Hotel on October 14th. The Gold Hugo for Best Film went to “Le Havre,” from France.
Kutza made the announcements along with Mimi Plauché, Head of Programming, Programmers Lee Ferdinand and Penny Bartlett, plus Competitions Coordinator Alex Kopecky. The Public Chicago is the former Ambassador East Hotel, redesigned by hotelier Ian Schrager, and recently had its grand opening. The Festival’s highest honor is the Gold Hugo, named for the mythical God of Discovery. An additional awards category in 2011 is the “After Dark Competition,” honoring the scary films from around the world.
International Feature Film Competition
’Le Havre’
Photo Credit: © Chicago International Film Festival
The Gold Hugo for Best Film: “Le Havre” (Finland/France), directed by Aki Kaurismaki
The Silver Hugo: “Cairo...
Kutza made the announcements along with Mimi Plauché, Head of Programming, Programmers Lee Ferdinand and Penny Bartlett, plus Competitions Coordinator Alex Kopecky. The Public Chicago is the former Ambassador East Hotel, redesigned by hotelier Ian Schrager, and recently had its grand opening. The Festival’s highest honor is the Gold Hugo, named for the mythical God of Discovery. An additional awards category in 2011 is the “After Dark Competition,” honoring the scary films from around the world.
International Feature Film Competition
’Le Havre’
Photo Credit: © Chicago International Film Festival
The Gold Hugo for Best Film: “Le Havre” (Finland/France), directed by Aki Kaurismaki
The Silver Hugo: “Cairo...
- 10/16/2011
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Created to celebrate the contributions that female writers and directors continue to make to film around the world, the REELwomen program at the 47th Chicago International Film Festival will introduce Chicago audiences to the works of first-time women filmmakers and documentarians.
More than half of the documentaries featured in this year.s Docufest competition are directed by women, most of them focusing on the arts. First-time filmmakers like Yasemin Samderelli, Alice Rohrwacher and Julia Leigh explore issues of identity – whether national or sexual – while others, like Susan Jacobson are staking a claim on genre films. The program also welcomes the return of Festival alumni filmmakers Mia Hansen-Løve and Lynne Ramsay.
All Me: The Life and Times of Winfred Rembert USA (Director: Vivian Ducat) . If there was ever a case for designating a person a National Treasure, Winfred Rembert is that person. Though he lived through segregation and the civil rights era in the Deep South,...
More than half of the documentaries featured in this year.s Docufest competition are directed by women, most of them focusing on the arts. First-time filmmakers like Yasemin Samderelli, Alice Rohrwacher and Julia Leigh explore issues of identity – whether national or sexual – while others, like Susan Jacobson are staking a claim on genre films. The program also welcomes the return of Festival alumni filmmakers Mia Hansen-Løve and Lynne Ramsay.
All Me: The Life and Times of Winfred Rembert USA (Director: Vivian Ducat) . If there was ever a case for designating a person a National Treasure, Winfred Rembert is that person. Though he lived through segregation and the civil rights era in the Deep South,...
- 10/11/2011
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
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