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Wind Rises' Miyazaki, 'Tsukumo' Director Morita React to Oscar Nods
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
The Wind Rises director Hayao Miyazaki and "Possessions" (Tsukumo) director Shuhei Morita have both released public statements regarding their Oscar nominations on Thursday. The Wind Rises has been nominated in the Animated Film category and "Possessions" has been nominated in the Animated Short Film category.
Miyazaki's statement (translated from Japanese) is as follows:
I think it is a huge honor for my retirement work, The Wind Rises, to be nominated in the Oscars' Best Animated Feature Film category. To be so valued overseas is a great honor for the entire staff involved in this work. From the bottom of my heart, I thank everyone in the Academy who nominated the movie, and everyone who guided it successfully. It would bring me great joy if many people in America get to see the film.
Additionally, Morita (pictured below) released the following English statement to ANN:
It is a godsend! We are so glad that "Possessions" has been nominated and will be seen by a lot of people. I've struggled for the past few years about "What is my anime style?" But "Possessions" is a piece in which I realized that I was satisfied with myself to be able to honestly put my soul in it. With just a few staff, we brainstormed some ideas off each other to come up with this film. We are so glad that such a title is accepted in the world. We are a bit nervous but looking forward to the final awards ceremony come March 2nd.
"Possessions" is a part of Katsuhiro Ōtomo's Short Peace omnibus project that assembles "top creators at the leading edge of Japanese animation, exploring possible future avenues of expression." The omnibus film opened in Japan on July 20. The Annecy film festival described the 14-minute film as follows: "One night in the 18th Century, deep in the mountains, a man loses his way and comes across a small shrine. As he enters, the space transforms into a room of a different world."
Kunio Katō's "La Maison en Petits Cubes" won in the Best Animated Short Film category at the 81st Annual Academy Awards in 2009.
Miyazaki's Spirited Away became the only Japanese animated feature to win an Oscar in 2002.
The 86th Academy Awards ceremony will be held on March 2, 2014.
Source: Oricon
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