Celebrated Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki spoke this evening about the process of creating his films and the themes within those works at Zellerbach Hall, hours after officially accepting the 2009 Berkeley Japan Prize from the Center for Japanese Studies. Among the topics touched in in the hour-plus conversation with “Japanamerica” author Roland Kelts were the female protagonists in Miyazaki’s creations, his choice to rely on hand-drawn animation rather than computer-generated images, and the idea of “apocalypse” and natural disasters in his stories. In addition, a fair amount of time was devoted to a discussion of his latest work, “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea.”

As expected, Miyazaki’s answers were colorful and often hilarious, as he noted how his family no longer takes him seriously when he comments that he doesn’t want to go through the filmmaking process again and compared hand-drawn animation against computer graphics to steering “a bark among high-speed boats.”

Of course, there was a wealth of information in the talk, so look to Thursday’s arts section in The Daily Californian for a detailed recap of the events of the past two days, which included a screening of “Ponyo,” a panel discussion of his works, the Berkeley Japan Prize ceremony and the Zellerbach discussion. In the meantime, you can read about Miyazaki’s films and influence in our preview of the event, which came out last Thursday.

Image Source: cyworld.com

UC Berkeley’s Center for Japanese Studies has released a bevy of new details about Hayao Miyazaki’s visit to the campus next month, and so far it’s looking spectacular. From PFA screenings to a film premiere and rare live appearance from the man himself, the program looks to capture all facets of the filmmaker’s celebrated body of work, including the ideas and issues that drive his cinematic sensibilities. Full details up ahead.

A side note: “Spirited Away” snagged an Oscar for Best Animated Feature back in 2002. Guess who was there to accept the award? Not Miyazaki. (Just to show how significant this US visit will be and, above all, how fortunate we are to have a director of this stature grace the Berkeley campus.)

Without further ado, the program of events: (Click here to read more…)

On July 25, Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki will make a rare U.S. appearance to accept a lifetime achievement award from the Berkeley Center of Japanese Studies, joining the likes of Clint Eastwood and Ang Lee as the latest world-class filmmaker to grace the UC Berkeley campus.

In an illustrious career that began in the 1980s (”Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind,” “Castle in the Sky”), prospered through the 1990s (”Princess Mononoke”) and maintains its brilliance through the 2000s (”Spirited Away,” “Howl’s Moving Castle”), Miyazaki single-handedly redefined the possibilities of film animation. Brimming with inimitable wit and pathos, his works are the embodiment of excellence – labors of love with the power to move audiences regardless of age or cinematic preference.

Bottom line: If you’re going to be around for the summer (unlike myself, regrettably), don’t miss out!

Image Source: Tim Boucher