Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron” clinched the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Motion Picture, marking a historic moment as the first Golden Globe awarded to a Studio Ghibli title. The film triumphed over other notable nominees such as Makoto Shinkai’s “Suzume,” “Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “Elemental,” “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” and “Wish” in the same category.
Beyond the Best Animated Motion Picture category, “The Boy and the Heron” received another nomination for Best Original Score, recognizing Joe Hisashi’s outstanding soundtrack at the 81st Golden Globe Awards. Although Hayao Miyazaki was not present at the ceremony, Joe Hisashi and producer Toshio Suzuki represented the film. Following the win, Suzuki issued a statement expressing the significance of the achievement
“This is the first Golden Globe awarded to a Studio Ghibli film, and it is a very special feeling. Since the beginning of this year, Japan has been hit by a series of tragic earthquakes and accidents… In such a situation, I hope the bright news of winning an award can bring a smile to everyone’s face, even if only a little.“
“The Boy and the Heron,” hailed as Miyazaki’s final movie, premiered in Japan in July of the same year. While drawing inspiration from Yoshino Genzaburo’s 1937 novel “How Do You Live?,” it is not a direct adaptation but incorporates elements from Miyazaki’s own life. The film had its international premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, followed by the US premiere at the 61st annual New York Film Festival. Since December, the movie has been screening in North American, Australian, and New Zealand cinemas.
The film’s theme song, “Spinning Globe,” was performed by Kenshi Yonezu, and the impressive voice cast included Soma Santoki/Luca Padovan, Masaki Suda/Robert Pattison, Ko Shibasaki/Florence Pugh, Aimyon/Karen Fukuhara, Yoshino Kimura/Gemma Chan, Takuya Kimura/Christian Bale, among others. Notably, “The Boy and the Heron” stands as the first Japanese movie to secure a Golden Globe award.
Source: The Boy and the Heron at Golden Globe
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