Spirited Away

A magical score by Joe Hisaishi that is at once exciting and melancholic mirrors the journey of a young girl in a secret world longing and searching for a way home.

Ten-year-old Chihiro is unhappy at the prospect of her family moving house.

When her father takes a wrong turn on their way to their new neighbourhood, the family stumbles upon an abandoned theme park that transports them into a mystical world inhabited by wondrous creatures and ghostly apparitions.

Now separated from her parents, Chihiro embarks on a fantastical quest to find her way home in which she encounters talking toads, walruses and penguins – amongst other deities and demons – along the way.

Curator's Note:

An exemplar of Studio Ghibli's creative output and a masterwork of director Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away also takes the crown for being an absolute audience favourite. Although Studio Ghibli films were available in Australia prior to Spirited Away, it was this film, its critical acclaim, and its many accolades which propelled the company into a much broader fervent adoration.

The film received an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature one year after that award was introduced, along with the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival.

– Reece Goodwin, Curator (Film & TV)