“You will be able to say “I saw the last Miyazaki” […] and make everyone jealous. » Wednesday evening, at the UGC Cité Confluence in Lyon, Thierry Frémaux, director of the Lumière Institute presented, in front of a full room, The Boy and the Heron, by Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. On the occasion of the Lumière Festival, the animated film was previewed in France, two weeks before its official release. “It hasn’t been seen much,” insists Thierry Frémaux, citing the screenings at the San Sebastian and Toronto festivals, and the release in Japan.
“As soon as the ticket office opened, I took the seats,” explains Steve, who came with his daughters Solveig, 14, Candice, 10, and his partner. Same thing for Marine and Lorraine, two sisters aged 23 and 25 who “did not want to miss this opportunity”. Fans of the Japanese filmmaker since their childhood (and even tattooed with characters from his universe), they were impatiently awaiting the release of the Boy and the heron. “It’s already been ten years since The wind picks up, Marine advances. And he scares us every time by announcing that it will be the last of his career! »
Uncover the mysteries of life
The lights go off. And the faces of the 370 people present in the room light up in the colors of Studio Ghibli, whose image with a blue background appears with the character Totoro. Applause then rings out with unanimous participation. The excitement is felt to the rhythm of the ovation. “It’s starting,” says Solveig with a big smile and leaning back in his seat.
Shhhh. Silence. For two hours and five minutes. Everyone embarks with Mahito, the young hero of this story who, after the death of his mother, seeks to understand what surrounds him and unravel the mysteries of life. But he does not go through his quest alone. He is accompanied by characters as enigmatic as they are touching (in their own way or rather that of the filmmaker). In comparison with The wind picks upMiyazaki returned to a more fantastic film but whose themes are rather harsh, such as mourning or the destruction of a world.
“Always a pleasure to see a Miyazaki”
“We clearly recognize the director’s touch, there are a lot of reminders of these old works,” assures Solveig, after the credits, specifying that she really liked the music. Marin, 25, studying cinema, a fan of Miyazaki since he was 6, makes the same observation about the soundtrack: “It’s always incredible! » Before adding: “The rhythm, the structure, everything, I found this anime very pretty and very mature, in the adult sense. »
For their part, Annette, Maël, Nicolas and Jules, all aged 19, remain a little unsatisfied. “There is good and there is bad,” affirms this group of friends. “I expected him to stay on this more real turn that he had taken with The wind picks up », indicates the first. “We could summarize The Boy and the Heron in the same way as these elders, certainly, with a more complex and less childish side perhaps,” continues the second. “But in any case, it’s always a pleasure to see a Miyazaki,” they all agree.
“We will remember it”
For the two sisters, Lorraine and Marine, the experience was also mixed. “At first, I didn’t know where he wanted to take us,” admits the youngest. “Afterwards, all his films are films to watch several times,” adds his eldest. “It’s a mix of everything he can do,” she continues. There is this omnipresent nature, this journey to find peace and this strength to take us on the adventure despite passages which can at first glance be questioning. And then, there are always beautiful messages behind these stories. »
They add: “Plus, we were able to have a good time. We had the small presentation, a whole atmosphere with people who were obviously motivated to attend this preview. And as it was part of the festival, the ticket was six euros! This was not an ordinary session! We will remember it. » Especially if it really is his last? “We don’t believe him anymore, he will do others,” they exclaim. Koji Hoshino, president of Studios Ghibli, would have declared the opposite last September…