Above the Clouds, Below the Waves: 4 films by Hayao Miyazaki
Sunday, December 27 | 2 p.m. | Dubbed in English
Wednesday, December 30 | 2 p.m. | Dubbed in English
In this visually inventive reimagining of “The Little Mermaid,” an enchanted fish-girl named Brunhilde befriends a young boy named Sōsuke who, mistaking her for a simple gold fish, takes her home and calls her Ponyo. Formerly content in her underwater world, Brunhilde’s encounter with Sōsuke sparks a growing awareness of her magical powers and a desire to be human. Fusing narrative and thematic elements of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale and Richard Wagner’s operatic Ring Cycle with memories of his son Gorō as a five-year-old boy, writer-director Hayao Miyazaki illuminates the inner lives of young children whose understanding of themselves and their world is continually evolving. Ponyo also reflects Miyazaki’s commitment to the traditional craft of animation; drawing much of the film by hand, he depicts the movement of the sea in exquisite, lifelike detail.
Director Hayao Miyazaki 2008 Japan 101 minutes G DCP
