The Boy And The Heron to open San Sebastian

Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film heads straight from Toronto

by Amber Wilkinson

The Boy And The Heron
The Boy And The Heron Photo: Courtesy of San Sebastian Film Festival
Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film The Boy And The Heron (Kimitachi wa Do Ikiruka) will have its European premiere as the opening night film of San Sebastian Film Festival on September 22.

The animation - which has been described as "a grand fantasy" by Studio Ghibli and which is loosely based on Genzaburo Yoshino’s 1937 coming-of-age novel How Do You Live? - will also open Toronto Film Festival earlier in the month.

Miyazaki founded Studio Ghibli with Isao Takahata in 1985 and has gone on to direct critically acclaimed animations including My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle, which was Oscar nominated. He also received an Oscar nod for his 2013 feature The Wind Rises, which screened at the festival. San Sebastian has also shown Spirited Away and Ponyo. His latest film will screen out of competition.

Share this with others on...
News

Past crime Christoffer Boe on creating a world for his period murder mystery Special Unit - The First Murder

The hidden river Helen MacDonald and Philippa Lowthorpe on adapting H Is For Hawk

This wild channel David Shadrack Smith and Jake Fogelnest on the content creation revolution and Public Access

The long and the short of it Meagan Coyle on the proper pacing of stories, and Prime

The physicality of grief Claire Foy on truth, space, silence and H Is For Hawk

A womb with a view Ida Melum on universal subjects, character design and Ovary-Acting

All the night tide Luke Angus on ice, stars, BAFTA hopes and animating Solstice

More news and features

Interact

As we move into 2026, don't forget that you can follow us on YouTube for trailers of festival films and more. You can also find us on Mastodon and Bluesky.

With awards season in full flow, you can keep track of the latest news on that here:

César nominations Nouvelle Vague leads the race for France's biggest awards

BAFTA nominations One Battle After Another and Sinners almost neck and neck

Golden Eddies Nominations for editing brilliance announced

OFCS Awards One Battle After Another triumphs; Sinners dominates