Studio Ghibli Fest 2021 coming in October

Above : The 2001 film “Spirited Away” is the opening feature of Studio Ghibli Festival 2021. (Photo/Fathom Events)

With the supposed retirement of the legendary Hayao Miyazaki , the golden age of Studio Ghibli has passed.

I say “supposed” because although he has more than once claimed to have retired, he keeps churning out films. The 80-year-old Miyazaki is now in the process of shooting a movie tentatively titled “How Do You Live?”

And while the studio may turn out good films in future, there’s little doubt that Miyzaki produced – and oversaw production of – some of the greatest animated films ever made.

Which is why I always look forward to the annual Studio Ghibli Fest . This year’s festival, a limited engagement event, will feature only four films – all directed by Miyazaki. They are:

“Spirited Away” (Oct. 3,4 and 6): Winner of the 2003 Oscar for Best Animated Feature, this film is one of the great works of animation. It tells the story of a young girl who must rescue her parents when they, improbably, are turned into animals.

“Howl’s Moving Castle” (Oct. 24, 25 and 28): Another tale involving witchcraft, this 2004 film follows a young woman’s quest to break the spell of a spiteful witch who has cursed her with an old body.

“Castle in the Sky” (Nov. 14, 15 and 18): Magic is the key to this tale of a young boy and girl fighting pirates while trying to find a floating castle.

“My Neighbor Totoro” (Dec. 5, 6 and 9): Forest spirits become friends with the two girls who come to the country to live with their ill mother.

If you haven’t yet seen a Miyazaki film, you’re in for a treat. So are your children.