The new Academy Museum has a section dedicated to the beloved Studio Ghibli films.
As part of the brand-new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in L.A., a Studio Ghibli exhibition will be featured. In collaboration with the Japanese studio, over 300 items used by their artists will be on display. This includes storyboards, character design sheets, and over 300 other items.
Upon entering the exhibit, visitors will walk through the garden tunnel featured in My Neighbour Totoro. There is also a “grass field”, where visitors can lie down and look at projected clouds drifting above, reminiscent of multiple scenes in the Ghibli movies. To exit, guests enter another tunnel where the footsteps of Chihiro leaving the bathhouse in Spirited Away can be heard. They also encounter the “two-faced Stone Spirit” that the movie closes on.
Jacqueline Stewart, chief artistic and program officer, highlighted the importance of being able to feature Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli amongst other famed film-makers.
“Miyazaki is an international filmmaker. We wanted to highlight somebody who really had global appeal and global impact. And one of the things that’s really unique about his work, too, is that it actually does appeal to young people and older generations with equal passion and vision.”
The exhibition’s curator, Jessica Niebel, explained how she worked with Studio Ghibli and the Ghibli Museum to source the materials.
“Miyazaki conveys the nuance behind his protagonist’s intentions and invites viewers to recognise the contradictions of human nature: to act responsibly, show respect and humility, and coexist with the environment.”
View some of the works on display in the museum below!
Credit: Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, courtesy of Ghibli Museum, Japan
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