Christmas has come early for fans of Studio Ghibli as the first film in 14 years by co-founder Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies) begins a theatrical run at the TIFF Bell Lightbox today; the subtitled and dubbed versions of The Tale of Princess Kaguya (Kaguya-hime no Monogatari) will be screened allowing audience members of all ages to enjoy the adaptation of the 10th-century Japanese folktale.
One day in the forest, the simple bamboo cutter Okina finds a baby in the folds of a bamboo shoot, and brings the infant home to his wife Ona. Naming the child Kaguya and raising her as their own, the couple soon discovers that their daughter is truly not of this world: she grows at an unnaturally quick rate, and has soon matured into a beautiful young woman. Discovering a cache of gold and lavish silks in the forest that he takes as a sign of Kaguya’s royal heritage, Okina moves her to a lavish home in the capital city, where she is besieged by suitors — but Kaguya soon proves to have a higher destiny.
The Tale of Princess Kaguya was the sole movie to receive a five star review during Flickering Myth’s coverage of the 39th Toronto International Film Festival so it is definitely worth seeing!
Originally published October 17, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
