Studio Ghibli boss to meet French fans

As Studio Ghibli celebrates its fortieth anniversary this year, the Parisian public will soon have the opportunity to meet its boss: Toshio Suzuki.

A meeting with the boss of Ghibli

Founded in 1985 by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, and Toshio Suzuki, following the triumph of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), Studio Ghibli undoubtedly helped popularize Japanese animation in the West. It must be said that by producing the films of the legendary Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, Studio Ghibli has an impressive catalog, rich in masterpieces. Although the structure experienced some financial difficulties during the 2010s, Ghibli made a comeback in 2023 with The Boy and the Heron, Hayao Miyazaki's latest masterpiece, which allowed the filmmaker and the studio to win their second Oscar for Best Animated Feature after Spirited Away.

Also, given the importance of Studio Ghibli, its fortieth anniversary is an event worth celebrating! This is what the Parisian cinema Le Grand Rex is offering from July 4 to 6, 2025, with 10 films shown:

• Nausicaä of the Valley of the Windby Hayao Miyazaki (1984)
• Castle in the Sky by Hayao Miyazaki (1986)
• My Neighbor Totoroby Hayao Miyazaki (1988)
• Kiki's Delivery Serviceby Hayao Miyazaki (1989)
• Princess Mononokeby Hayao Miyazaki (1997)
• Spirited Awayby Hayao Miyazaki (2001)
• Howl's Moving Castleby Hayao Miyazaki (2004)
• The Tale of the Princess Kaguyaby Isao Takahata (2013)
• The Red Turtleby Michael Dudok de Wit (2016)
• The Boy and the Heronby Hayao Miyazaki (2023)

The program and reservations for each screening are available on the official website of the Grand Rex, find it here.

The retrospective organized by Le Grand Rex will therefore begin on Friday, July 4, 2025 with a screening of the very beautiful The Red Turtle - the only European film produced by Studio Ghibli. The screening will be preceded by a conversation between director Michael Dudok de Wit, Koji Yanai - CEO of Uniqlo, who is launching a special Ghibli clothing collection - and Toshio Suzuki, co-founder and artistic director of the studio.

This will be an opportunity for fans to ask questions to Hayao Miyazaki's longtime partner, including about the future of Studio Ghibli. Indeed, while it has been confirmed that the director of Princess Mononoke is working on a new project, the future of the company remains very unclear. The acquisition of the studio by NipponTV in September 2023 ensures its financial sustainability, but nothing is known about future productions.

And you, do you plan to attend the retrospective organized by the Grand Rex? If so, let us know in the comments. And if this article interested you and you appreciate Japanese animation, we remind you that another retrospective including 25 masterpieces of Japanese animated cinema was organized by the Cinémathèque Française.