The Wind Rises In The UK This Weekend

May 9th sees Hayao Miyazaki's final, much acclaimed animated feature open in cinemas across the United Kingdom, courtesy of StudioCanal  The Oscar nominated movie tells a fictionalised version of the life of famed aeronautical engineer Jiro Horikoshi. Horikoshi was responsible for designing Japan's World War II era Zero planes so the film has inevitably courted controversy pretty much everywhere it's seen release so far. However anyone expecting it to be pro-war or nationalistic can't be at all familiar with Miyazaki's work.

Said by many to be Miyazaki's most personal work, it has been widely seen as a fitting capper to the career of Japan's most successful animator. It will be screening at select locations of the nation's major chains (including Curzon, Odeon and Cineworld) as well as many independents. Screenings will be available both in the original Japanese language version and the English dub featuring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt. Check with your local cinema for details.




Official synopsis:

The farewell masterpiece from Hayao Miyazaki. 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.

Jiro Horikoshi

Jiro Horikoshi

Jiro Horikoshi

Jiro Horikoshi