‘The Boy and the Heron’ Delivers Hayao Miyazaki His Second Oscar

variety.com:

Carolyn Giardina Legendary animation director Hayao Miyazaki received his second Academy Award on Sunday, for his semi-autobiographical “The Boy and the Heron,” which won the category for best animated feature.

At age 83, he’s also the oldest director to receive this award. He previously won the category for his 2001 fantasy “Spirited Award.” He accepted an Honorary Academy Award in 2014.

Today’s win also marks the second Academy Award for his Japan-based Studio Ghibli as well as the first to be released domestically by indie distributor GKIDS (“The Boy and the Heron” was the distributor’s 13th movie to be nominated in the category; others included “The Breadwinner,” “My Life as a Zucchini” and “Wolfwalkers.”) Prior to making “The Boy and the Heron,” Miyazaki had announced his retirement and then surprised the animation world when he decided he wanted to make this film, which also won the Golden Globe and BAFTA.

He and producer Toshio Suzuki were not in attendance to accept the award at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday. Said Studio Ghibli COO Kiyofumi Nakajima in a statement on behalf of Suzuki: “This film began with director Hayao Miyazaki retracting his retirement statement.