Apologies for ruffling feathers, as the introductory video released today by GKIDS still does not reveal any actual footage from the highly anticipated and much speculated new Hayao Miyazaki movie The Boy and the Heron — but at least we have an official mini-synopsis and drop date for a first look!
Backed by otherworldly music (the film features a score by long-time Miyazaki collaborator Joe Hisaishi), the video explains:
A young boy named Mahito
yearning for his mother
ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead.
There, death comes to an end
and life finds a new beginning.
A semi-autobiographical fantasy
about life, death and creation,
in tribute to friendship,
from the mind of Hayao Miyazaki.
The hand-drawn, animated feature film — Miyazaki’s first feature film in 10 years, and reportedly his last — is an original story written and directed by the Studio Ghibli co-founder and produced by his longtime company partner/co-founder and Academy Award nominee Toshio Suzuki. Hisaishi handles the musical score, and the film’s theme song, “Spinning Globe,” was penned and performed by global J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu.
A first-look teaser will be released on September 6, ahead of the film’s international premiere Opening Night Gala screening at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival on Thursday, September 7.
Tickets to all festival screenings for The Boy and the Heron at TIFF sold out in record time. This fall, the film makes its U.S. premiere at the New York Film Festival, its European premiere at the San Sebastian International Film Festival and its U.K. premiere at the BFI London Film Festival.
GKIDS will release the film across North America later this fall.
