Spotlight on Studio Ghibli: Spirited Away

Founded in 1985 by directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata and producer Toshio Suzuki, Japan’s Studio Ghibli has produced some of the most renowned animated films of all time. Almost always told from the wondrous point of view of an itinerant child, a Ghibli film infuses its dazzling vistas, fantastical folklore, and spectacular adventures with deeply-felt emotions and adult concerns. A legend in his home country, Miyazaki has helmed Ghibli’s biggest hits, along the way becoming an international icon of visionary filmmaking whose mind-bending spectacles enthrall audiences of all ages.

Hayao Miyazaki’s eighth motion picture is quite possibly the best animated feature of the twenty-first century. After taking a wrong turn in the woods on a drive to her new suburban home, a stubborn little girl witnesses as her parents and the world she knows are transformed into a hypnotic wonderland when the sun goes down. With hints of Lewis Carroll, Spirited Away creates an unforgettable dreamscape, the surreal layers and mystical rhythms of which reward repeated viewings. The film is all the more daring because of its delicate flirtation with ever-shifting states of identity. A creature that appears to be ominous can turn out to be enchanting, and vice versa. Winner of the Golden Bear for Best Picture at the Berlin Film Festival and the Academy Award for Best Animated Film.

Bing Theater | FAQs

$10 for the general public, $7 for LACMA members, seniors (62+), and students with valid ID | Tickets available Thursday, October 20 at 5 pm | Call 323 857-6010 or purchase online.

$5 for Film Independent, LACMA Film Club, and New York Times Film Club Members | Pre-sale tickets available Thursday, October 13 at 5 pm | Call 323 857-6010 or purchase online | Members of these groups will be required to show proof of membership when retrieving their tickets.