Hayao Miyazaki, the animator behind Spirited Away, Howl’s
Moving Castle and The Wind Rises, will receive an Honorary
Award and an Oscar statuette at the 6th annual Governors Awards held at the
Hollywood and Highland Centre in Los Angeles on 8 November.
Originally part of the annual Oscars programme, the Governors Awards are now
a separate event presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’
board of Governors. Three awards are given out each year: the Irving G. Thalberg
Memorial Award, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and the Honorary
Award.
According to the Los Angeles Times, Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs
said, “The Governors Awards allow us to reflect upon not the year in film, but
the achievements of a lifetime. We’re absolutely thrilled to honour these
outstanding members of our global filmmaking community and look forward to
celebrating with them in November.’
Miyazaki is a Japanese film director, animator, writer, producer and co-founder of
the acclaimed animation house Studio Ghibli. The Oscars website describes the
Honorary Award as an accolade “to honour extraordinary distinction in lifetime
achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and
sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.’
Screenwriter Jean-Claude Carriere, actress Maureen O’Hara and actor, producer
and singer Harry Belafonte will also receive awards at the event.
