The nonprofit organization Film Independent has announced on Monday that Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli's Ponyo will be the closing night film of the 2009 Los Angeles Film Festival on June 28. The story follows an ordinary boy named Sosuke (Frankie Jonas) and his friendship with Ponyo (Noah Cyrus), a goldfish who wishes to be human. The other castmembers include Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Cloris Leachman, Liam Neeson, Lily Tomlin, and Betty White.

Walt Disney Pictures will open the film throughout the United States on August 14. TOHO released the film in Japan last July, and it became Japan's highest grossing film of 2008. The Los Angeles Film Festival is also showing three live-action films from Japan: Tadashi Mori's Panda Diary , Hirokazu Kore-eda's Still Walking , and Koji Wakamatsu's United Red Army .

Image © 2008 Nibariki, GNDHDDT

Update: Ponyo's Japanese release year corrected. Thanks, giascle.