The Boy and the Heron to open Toronto Film Festival

The Boy and the Heron – which was released under the title How Do You Live? in Japan – will now open the Toronto International Film Festival in September.

Hayao Miyazaki’s new film How Do You Live? opened in Japan earlier this month, to rave reviews. And huge box office numbers.

GKIDS Films announced plans for a U.S. release under a new title – The Boy and the Heron. And while Studio Ghibli fans patiently wait for news of a specific date, festival-goers in Canada will be able to see the movie in just a few weeks. That’s because The Boy and the Heron will open the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7. Making it the first animated film to fill such a prestigious slot.

The rest of the film’s current release plans can be found below…

Is How Do You Live on streaming?

No, Hayao Miyazaki’s new film How Do You Live? will not be streaming this week.

Instead, the film is playing exclusively in cinemas, via the following formats: IMAX, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Cinema, and DTS:X. The film hits those screens on Friday (July 14, 2023). But you will need to be in Japan to watch the movie, as How Do You Live? is currently only screening there.

UPDATE: We now know that the film will also be releasing in American cinemas sometime this year. GKID Films made the announcement on Twitter via the following statement:

“GKIDS is honored to announce the acquisition of North American rights to THE BOY AND THE HERON, the new film from Hayao Miyazaki & Studio Ghibli. Debuting in Japan as #君たちはどう生きるか (translated as How Do You Live), THE BOY AND THE HERON opens in N. American theatres 2023.”

We’ll update this article when we have an exact date.

How Do You Live? plot – What’s it about?

How Do You Live? is currently shrouded in mystery, with Studio Ghibli and distributor Toho deciding to release no stills, trailers, or synopses for the film aside from an official poster. With the idea that audiences will enter the cinema with no preconceived notions. Though Miyazaki recently admitted he’s worried about that lack of promotion.

What is known however, is that How Do You Live? is loosely based on the 1937 book of the same name, by Genzaburo Yoshino.

Here’s the book’s official synopsis: “The streets of Tokyo swarm below fifteen year-old Copper as he gazes out into the city of his childhood. Struck by the thought of the infinite people whose lives play out alongside his own, he begins to wonder, how do you live?

“Considering life’s biggest questions for the first time, Copper turns to his dear uncle for heart-warming wisdom. As the old man guides the boy on a journey of philosophical discovery, a timeless tale unfolds, offering a poignant reflection on what it means to be human.”

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