MY NEIGHBOR TORTORO Kicks Off STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2017 June 25th & 26th

“Trees and people used to be good friends. I saw that tree and decided to buy the house. Hope Mom likes it too. Okay, let’s pay our respects then get home for lunch.”

MY NEIGHBOR TORTORO kicks off  STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2017  on Sunday June 25th at 1pm (dubbed) and Monday June 26th at 7pm (subtitled) For details and a list of participating theaters, go HERE

GKIDS, the acclaimed distributor of multiple Academy Award-nominated animated features, and Fathom Events, are proud to announce a partnership to bring the biggest series of anime titles to U.S audiences throughout 2017. STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2017 is a first-of-its-kind monthly series featuring six iconic animated classics from legendary director Hayao Miyazaki. In addition to big screen presentations of these larger-than-life films, each event will also feature an exclusive edition of GKIDS Mini-Fest, an ongoing showcase of some of the best short animation from around the world.

MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO was made back in 1988 and tells the story of Mr. Kusakabe and his two daughters Satsuki and Mei who move to a new home in rural Japan so they could be close to their sick mother. Their new home is run down and filled with soot spirits, but the family soon settles in. One day Mei meets a strange giant creature called Totoro, a large furry animal who has two minions. No one believes Mei at first but after Mei disappears Satsuki has to call Totoro for help. MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO is a strange little film, but Miyazaki does have an understanding of a child’s imagination (either that or he takes a lot drugs). There is a certain Alice in Wonderland feel about the film, with Mei going down a hole and Totoro and the Catbus (one of the weirdest ideas ever) looking like the Chester Cat. But the main focus of the film is the relationship between the young girls and the father who is obviously overwhelmed with his caring for them, having a wife in hospital and continuing with his job. The children are energetic and believable and the film is about the wonders of a child’s imagination.

Here’s the rest of the line-up for STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2017:

Kiki’s Delivery Service – July 23-24
Castle in the Sky – August 27-28
Nausicaa On the Valley of the Wind – Sept 24-25
Spirited Away – Oct 29-30
Howl’s Movie Castle – Nov 26-27