Image courtesy of GKIDS. ©Akiyuki Nosaka / Shinchosha, 1988
Source: GKIDS
Official Site: https://gkids.com/ghiblifest/
Image courtesy of GKIDS. ©Akiyuki Nosaka / Shinchosha, 1988
Tickets are on sale now for GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES – Based on the retellings of survivor Nosaka Akiyuki, the historical war drama tells the story of Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, two children born at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and now cast adrift in a world that lacks not the care to shelter them, but simply the resources. Brought to you by Academy Award nominated director Isao Takahata, the emotional tour de force returns to theatres this August for three nationwide screenings. GKIDS and Fathom Entertainment are delighted to continue Studio Ghibli Fest with the 2025 edition which celebrates THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY’s 15th anniversary.
Audiences can look forward to Studio Ghibli Fest 2025’s eight-title lineup of films, including THE BOY AND THE HERON, re-entering theatres for the first time since its release. GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES will be shown in the original Japanese language version with subtitles.
In addition to the full feature, screenings will include a post-film clip from bonus featurette, “Interview with Isao Takahata”. Tickets for GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES can be purchased online by visiting GhibliFest.com, or at participating theatre box offices (Theatre participants are subject to change).
GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES (火垂るの墓, Hotaru no Haka, 1988)
As the Empire of the Sun crumbles upon itself and a rain of firebombs falls upon Japan, the final death march of a nation is echoed in millions of smaller tragedies. This is the story of Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, two children born at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and now cast adrift in a world that lacks not the care to shelter them, but simply the resources. Forced to fend for themselves in the aftermath of fires that swept entire cities from the face of the earth, their doomed struggle is both a tribute to the human spirit and the stuff of nightmares. Beautiful, yet at times brutal and horrifying.
Based on the retellings of survivor Nosaka Akiyuki and directed by Isao Takahata (co-founder, with Hayao Miyazaki, of Japan’s legendary Studio Ghibli) GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES has been universally hailed as an artistic and emotional tour de force. Now digitally remastered and restored, it is one of the rare films that truly deserves to be called a masterpiece.
Show Dates
Check with your local theatres or online ticketing site for specific showtimes
Sunday, August 10 (Japanese Language with Subtitles)
Monday, August 11 (Japanese Language with Subtitles)
Tuesday, August 12 (Japanese Language with Subtitles)
About GKIDS
GKIDS is the Academy Award-winning producer and distributor of artist-driven and award-winning animation from around the world. After an astounding 13 Best Animated Feature nominations, the company took home the Oscar in 2024 for Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli’s acclaimed feature, THE BOY AND THE HERON. The company’s previous nominations include THE SECRET OF KELLS in 2010, A CAT IN PARIS and CHICO & RITA in 2012, ERNEST & CELESTINE in 2014, THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA and SONG OF THE SEA in 2015, BOY AND THE WORLD and WHEN MARNIE WAS THERE in 2016, MY LIFE AS A ZUCCHINI in 2017, THE BREADWINNER in 2018, MIRAI in 2019, WOLFWALKERS in 2021, and THE BOY AND THE HERON in 2024.
For more than a decade, GKIDS’ influence on cinema has redefined the perception of animation as an artistic medium on par with live-action film through its stewardship of the Studio Ghibli catalog and by introducing American audiences to the critically-acclaimed films of other master filmmakers from around the world such as Makoto Shinkai (WEATHERING WITH YOU), Mamoru Hosoda (BELLE), Masaaki Yuasa (INU-OH), Tomm Moore (WOLFWALKERS), Hideaki Anno (NEON GENESIS EVANGELION), Nora Twomey (THE BREADWINNER), Satoshi Kon (PERFECT BLUE) and Hiroyuki Imaishi (Promare), among countless others. GKIDS is also the founder and host of ANIMATION IS FILM, the annual LA-based film festival which embraces the highest aspirations of animation as a cinematic art form, and is a vocal advocate for filmmakers who push the boundaries of the medium to its fullest range of artistic expressions.
About Fathom Entertainment
Fathom is a recognized leader in the entertainment industry as one of the top distributors of content to movie theaters in North America. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC); Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK); and Regal Cinemas, a subsidiary of the Cineworld Group (LSE: CINE.L), Fathom operates the largest cinema distribution network, delivering a wide variety of programming and experiences to cinema audiences in all of the top U.S. markets and to more than 45 countries. For more information, visit www.fathomentertainment.com.
About Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli is one of the most acclaimed and influential animation studios in the world, inspiring filmmakers and audiences alike over the last 40 years with beloved stories and breathtaking visuals. Under the brilliance of visionary animation directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, and producer Toshio Suzuki, the studio’s films are known for timeless classics such as MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE, and PONYO; and have won countless international awards including two Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature for SPIRITED AWAY and THE BOY AND THE HERON, as well as five additional Oscar nominations for HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE, THE WIND RISES, THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA, WHEN MARNIE WAS THERE, and THE RED TURTLE. Director and studio co-founder Hayao Miyazaki was separately given an Honorary Award at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Governors Awards in 2014, and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures paid tribute to his artwork with a special exhibit when the Museum opened in September 2021. The studio received the Honorary Palme d’Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.