Studio Ghibli To Receive Honorary Palme D’or

Studio Ghibli will be awarded the Honorary Palme d'or at the 77th Festival de Cannes, following four decades of animated work.

It is the first time that a studio will be receiving the Honorary Palme d'or. George Lucas will also be receiving the same award this year.

Founded by Toshio Suzuki, Hayao Miyazaki, and Isao Takahata in 1985, Studio Ghibli has produced 24 feature-length films. Their most well-known titles include My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), Spirited Away (2001),  Howl's Moving Castle (2004), and The Wind Rises (2013).

Le Studio Ghibli, Palme d'or d'honneur #Cannes2024 ????

Pour la première fois, la Palme d'or d'honneur est un prix collectif qui sera remis au fameux studio japonais.

Le Studio Ghibli, incarné par Hayao Miyazaki et Isao Takahata, a emporté son public au travers d'œuvres… pic.twitter.com/hyEJNkS15d

— Festival de Cannes (@Festival_Cannes) April 17, 2024

Last year, Miyazaki made headlines releasing his first film in a decade, The Boy and the Heron. He and Suzuki were awarded the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature for their work on the film. This was Studio Ghibli's second win and fourth nomination. 

In a statement, producer Toshio Suzuki said that “I would like to thank the Festival de Cannes from the bottom of my heart. Forty years ago, Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata and I established Studio Ghibli with the desire to bring high-level, high-quality animation to children and adults of all ages. Today, our films are watched by people all over the world, and many visitors come to the Ghibli Museum, Mitaka and Ghibli Park to experience the world of our films for themselves.

“We have truly come a long way for Studio Ghibli to become such a big organization. Although Miyazaki and I have aged considerably, I am sure that Studio Ghibli will continue to take on new challenges, led by the staff who will carry on the spirit of the company.”

The Festival de Cannes will take place from the 14th to the 25th of May 2024. The award will be given during the closing ceremony on the final day, which can be watched on YouTube.