TIFF 2023 to open with Hayao Miyazaki's film 'The Boy and the Heron'

Written and directed by the Japanese filmmaker, the original story was and produced by Oscar-winning Studio Ghibli, which Miyazaki co-founded

Although several of Studio Ghibli’s films have screened at TIFF, including The Red Turtle (2016), The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2014), The Wind Rises (2013), From Up on Poppy Hill (2011), Spirited Away (2002), and Princess Mononoke (1999), this is the first time a Japanese film or an animated film will open the festival.

“Already acclaimed as a masterpiece in Japan, Hayao Miyazaki’s new film begins as a simple story of loss and love and rises to a staggering work of imagination. I look forward to our audience discovering its mysteries for themselves, but I can promise a singular, transformative experience," TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey has said.

The hand-drawn animated feature The Boy and the Heron opened in Japan to record-breaking success.

The film features a musical score from Miyazaki’s long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi.

Studio Ghibli released the film in Japan without any promotion, marketing materials, or film description, allowing audiences to discover the film for themselves.

This screening outside of Japan will be the international premiere and the first opportunity for audiences to experience the film for themselves.

The Boy and the Heron is being distributed by GKIDS in North America where it will be released in theatres later in the year.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)