The Wind Rises

The Wind Rises

Cast: Zach Callison, Mirai Shida, Hideaki Anno
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Genre: Animation, Drama, Biography
Rated: PG
Running Time: 126 minutes

Synopsis: In The Wind Rises, Jiro dreams of flying and designing beautiful airplanes, inspired by the famous Italian aeronautical designer Caproni. Nearsighted from a young age and unable to be a pilot, Jiro joins a major Japanese engineering company in 1927 and becomes one of the world's most innovative and accomplished airplane designers.

The film chronicles much of his life, depicting key historical events, including the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, the Great Depression, the tuberculosis epidemic and Japan's plunge into war. Jiro meets and falls in love with Nahoko, and grows and cherishes his friendship with his colleague Honjo. Writer and director Hayao Miyazaki pays tribute to engineer Jiro Horikoshi and author Tatsuo Hori in this epic tale of love, perseverance, and the challenges of living and making choices in a turbulent world.

The Australian poster and trailer for the latest film from Studio Ghibli, The Wind Rises, are now available. The Wind Rises has been announced as the final directorial effort from Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki. The film will release in Australian cinemas on February 27, 2014.

At a press conference earlier this year in Tokyo, Miyazaki announced he would retire from filmmaking, The Wind Rises being his final film. Miyazaki will continue at Studio Ghibli, focusing on other creative projects such as exhibits at the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo and manga projects.

In a statement delivered at this press conference, Miyazaki commented 'I know I've mentioned I'm retiring many times in the past, so I know that many of you might think, oh again. This time is for real."

The Wind Rises is a project five years in the making, and features the hand-drawn animation for which Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli have become synonymous with. The Wind Rises was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. Hayao Miyazaki has been animating and directing films since 1979's The Castle of Cagliostro, and his most celebrated titles include Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, My Neighbour Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away (Academy Award winner – Best Animated Feature), Howl's Moving Castle & Ponyo.

The Wind Rises