As part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' three-month celebration of anime, a screening of Hayao Miyazaki's 2002 Oscar-winning animated feature Spirited Away will take place on Friday, July 17, at 7:30 p.m., at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.
Then, on Tuesday, July 28, at 7:30 p.m., Oscar-winning animator and Academy governor John Lasseter will host "A Tribute to Animation Master Hayao Miyazaki" at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Both evenings will include extended gallery hours for the Academy's ongoing exhibition "ANIME! High Art – Pop Culture."
The quirky Spirited Away is my favorite among the Miyazaki features I've seen. The tale of a young girl who accidentally gets embroiled with witches, spirits, and assorted bizarre creatures (see above), Spirited Away is filled with dark, crazy magic. That evening, the "ANIME!" exhibition, which includes a number of items from Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli efforts, will be open in both the Grand Lobby and Fourth Floor galleries starting at 6:30 p.m. and following the screening until 11 p.m.
The tribute to Hayao Miyazaki will feature clips from several of Miyazaki's films and a conversation with the filmmaker himself. Among his other features are Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Porco Rosso, Princess Mononoke, and the 2005 Oscar nominee Howl's Moving Castle. That evening, the "ANIME!" exhibition will be on view in the Grand Lobby Gallery for one hour following the tribute.
Tickets for Spirited Away and "A Tribute to Animation Master Hayao Miyazaki" go on sale starting June 25 and are $5 for each event for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Tickets may be purchased online at www.oscars.org, in person at the Academy box office or by mail. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. All seating is unreserved. The Academy is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For more information, call (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.
"ANIME! High Art – Pop Culture" will be on display through Sunday, August 23. The Academy's galleries are located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, and regular hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and weekends, noon to 6 p.m. Admission is free. The galleries will be closed for the Independence Day holiday weekend, July 3 through 6.
Photos: Courtesy of the Margaret Herrick Library