The Wind Rises, the final film of iconic director Hayao Miyazaki, has been considered for nomination for the 2014 Academy Awards.
Studio Ghibli’s The Wind Rises was among three Japanese films which earned qualifying runs in the Animated Feature Film category. The other films were Hiroyuki Okiura’s A Letter to Momo and Akiyuki Shinbo’s Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie: Rebellion.
Miyazaki capped his legendary career with the animated film based on the story of real-life Japanese engineer Jiro Horikoshi, who designed the World War II Zero fighter aircraft.
The movie follows Jiro through pre-WWII Japan, the country’s devastating 1923 earthquake, a tuberculosis epidemic and economic troubles.
The three Japanese films will face tough competition from Hollywood blockbusters, including Despicable Me 2, Monsters University and Planes for Oscar nominations.
There were also other submissions from all over the world, such as Ernest and Celestine from France, The Fake from South Korea, Khumba from South Africa, The Legend of Sarila from Canada, O Apostolo from Spain and Rio: 2096 A Story of Love and Fury from Brazil.
The academy will later select four or five of the submissions for Oscar nominations.
The Wind Rises will be released with English subtitles for North American audiences under Disney’s Touchstone Pictures in February.
By Maesie Bertumen
