The Fundy Film Society

Spirited Away

Co-winner of the top prize at the Berlin Film Festival, Special Presentation at the 2002 Toronto International Film Festival and the top grossing film in Japanese history, Hayao Miyazaki’s most recent work is an entrancing wonder. Following the astounding success of his brilliant Princess Mononoke, the legendary writer-director has created another animated jewel, of unprecedented complexity and depth. Ten-year-old Chihiro is making an unhappy journey with her parents to their new home when her father’s decision to take a shortcut brings them to a mysterious, abandoned theme park. While exploring the empty park Chihiro becomes separated from her parents and notices mysterious activity in a huge bathhouse. As dusk begins to gather a strange boy appears by her side with an urgent warning: she must get away from the park before night falls. Chihiro is ultimately trapped in the dangerous and mysterious spirit world of the bathhouse, her parents imprisoned by the ruling sorceress, Yubaba. As Chihiro attempts to rescue her parents and escape the world of the bathhouse, Spirited Away develops into a mature and moving reflection on contemporary problems: our destruction of the environment and the disintegration of spirituality. Miyazaki, who rejects computers, draws thousands of frames by hand in astonishing detail. His extraordinary talents have produced a complex and sophisticated blending of mythical allusion and purely original flights of unfettered fancy.

“Spirited Away…is such a landmark in animation that labeling it a masterpiece almost seems inadequate.” – Lou Lumenick, The New York Post

“A triumph of psychological depth and artistic brilliance.” – Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

“Like old myths and wonder tales spun afresh.” – Jane Horwitz, The Washington Post

“Miyazaki is one of world cinema’s most wondrously gifted artists and storytellers.” – David Hunter, Hollywood Reporter