Forover50years,HayaoMiyazakihasbeenenchantingtheworldwithhisfilms.TonarinoTotoro(MyNeighborTotoro),Mononoke-hime(PrincessMononoke),SentoChihironokamikakushi(SpiritedAway),orhislatestfilmKimitachiwadōikiruka(TheBoyandtheHeron),tonameonlyafewofelevenfeaturefilms,tenshortfilms,severalmanga,andalsothroughStudioGhibli,amuseumandathemepark.Theyformaluminousbodyofworkandcharactersthathavebecomecultclassics.Miyazaki’sfilms,oftenautobiographical,alsoreflectthestateoftheworldandtheturmoilofthetwentiethandtwenty-firstcenturies,madeofwarsandecologicaldisasters.HewasborninJapanin1941,duringWorldWarII.Asachild,heimmersedhimselfindrawingmangauntilhehadarevelationupondiscoveringHakujaden(TheWhiteSnakeEnchantress),thefirstJapanesecolouranimatedfilmbyTaijiYabushita.Fromthenon,hedecidedtodevotehislifetoanimation,thismagicalartcapableofovercomingthedarknessthathadalwaysdeeplyinhabitedhim...ThankstoexceptionalaccessgrantedbyStudioGhiblitonumerousfilmexcerptsandrareJapanesetelevisionarchives,wediscoverthelifeofMiyazakiaswellasaprofoundlyecologicalbodyofworkthatquestionsourrelationshipwiththenaturalworldandlivingbeings.ThinkerslikeanthropologistPhilippeDescolaorphilosopherTimothyMorton,aswellascloseassociates,hissonandfilmdirectorGorōMiyazaki,andToshioSuzuki,hislongtimeproducerandfriend,bringusclosertothistireless,obsessive,andmysteriousartist.
