Hayao Miyazaki

One of Japan’s most distinctive filmmakers, Hayao Miyazaki has earned acclaim and recognition for his anime features since his debut in 1979 with The Castle of Cagliostro.  In 1985 he co-founded Studio Ghibli, which has since become a major name in the worlds of animation and international filmmaking. His subsequent films included Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), Castle in the Sky (1986), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), Princess Mononoke (1997), Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), Ponyo (2008) and The Wind Rises (2013). His 2001 feature, Spirited Away, won an Academy Award for Animated Feature. In 2014, he was chosen to receive an Honorary Award at the Academy’s Governors Awards.