Hayao Miyazaki’s potentially final (I’ll believe it when I see it) film, THE WIND RISES, has played at the Toronto International Film Festival and has now announced its US release dates. Disney have decided to show the film in New York and LA in its original language from 8th-14th of November which will allow it to qualify for Academy Award consideration. Disney must be confident by pushing out the film in a subtitled form. THE WIND RISES will then have a limited release from 21st February 2014, before going nationwide on 28th February. It is assumed that between November and February the film will be dubbed.
THE WIND RISES follows the life of Jiro Horikoshi, a man who would go on to develop fighter planes for Japan in World War II. In terms of competition for THE WIND RISES, it looks as though it will be taking on the likes of DESPICABLE ME 2, MONSTERS UNIVERSITY, THE CROODS, and Disney’s own FROZEN. Personally I’ve found them all to be fairly ‘meh’, although I hold out hope for FROZEN. Here’s hoping for another Miyazaki masterpiece.
Here’s the full press release:
PLANS REVEALED FOR NORTH AMERICAN THEATRICAL RELEASE OF STUDIO GHIBLI’S “THE WIND RISES”
Miyazaki Masterpiece to Open in North America in February 2014 Following 2013 Oscar® Qualification Engagements
BURBANK, Calif. (Sept. 11, 2013) – The Walt Disney Studios and Studio Ghibli revealed North American release plans for “The Wind Rises,” a Studio Ghibli film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki (“My Neighbor Totoro,” “Spirited Away,” “Ponyo”), at the North American premiere of the film today at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film is slated for limited release in North American theaters on Feb. 21, 2014, and expanded release on Feb. 28, 2014, under the Touchstone Pictures banner. “The Wind Rises” will also open for Academy Award® qualification engagements in New York and Los Angeles Nov. 8-14, 2013, showcasing the original film in Japanese with English subtitles.
In “The Wind Rises,” Jiro—inspired by the famous Italian aeronautical designer Caproni—dreams of flying and designing beautiful airplanes. Nearsighted from a young age and thus unable to become a pilot, Jiro joins the aircraft division of a major Japanese engineering company in 1927. His genius is soon recognized, and he grows to become one of the world’s most accomplished airplane designers. The film chronicles much of his life, and depicts key historical events that deeply affected the course of Jiro’s life, including the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, the Great Depression, the tuberculosis epidemic and Japan’s plunge into war. He meets and falls in love with Nahoko, and grows and cherishes his friendship with his colleague Honjo. A tremendous innovator, Jiro leads the aviation world into the future. Miyazaki pays tribute to engineer Jiro Horikoshi and author Tatsuo Hori in his creation of the fictional character Jiro—the center of the epic tale of love, perseverance, and the challenges of living and making choices in a turbulent world.
The film made its international debut at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month, and its North American premiere with an official screening at the Toronto International Film Festival this evening. It was showcased at the Telluride Film Festival and will also play at the upcoming New York Film Festival.
THE WIND RISES stars the vocal talents of Hideaki Anno, Mirai Shida, Jun Kunimura, Miori Takimoto, and Hidetoshi Mishijima.
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Source: Disney
