When Marnie Was There

The latest from well-loved Japanese animation Studio Ghibli, only just released in the UK, is typically magical and deeply moving, and children and adults alike should flock to their nearest cinema or picture house to see it this week!

As time and time again, the films of Studio Ghibli have inspired awe and wonderment, their latest film, When Marnie Was There, is no different, adapted from the book by Joan G Robinson.

The film follows Anna, a talented yet incredibly introverted twelve year old girl who struggles with asthma, who is sent by her guardian to recover in the countryside with family friends for the summer. She prefers to be alone, to draw in her sketchbook. She struggles to make friends. There she finds a seemingly abandoned mansion surrounded by marshland and meets Marnie, a mysterious girl who lives there. Anna has at last found someone she can bond with, yet it is a relationship that is held back by tension and jealousy, clouded by a supernatural mysticism, and at times delicately hints at romance.

Not only is When Marnie Was There a fundamentally beautiful film but it is also an important one especially for young teenagers. It’s rare, particularly in Western animation, to find a film with such deep subject matter that treats its viewers with maturity, but Studio Ghibli have been doing this for decades. The film’s exploration of loneliness and teenage depression is one of widespread relatability. It’s the kind of substance animated films should be dealing with more regularly, and it results in one of the most deeply moving “kids” films ever made.

I often wonder how the films Studio Ghibli have made affect people who watch them at the right time in their life. I wonder how many kids wanted to design aeroplanes after The Wind Rises; how many imaginations exploded into the stratosphere after seeing Spirited Away. I think When Marnie Was There will provide the some kind of reconciliation for unhappy teenagers and those who have suffered a difficult childhood. It explores some of the deepest, darkest emotions that a kid can go through. The studio, after being built up by such renowned auteurs Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, clearly respects their audience.

The animation in When Marnie Was There is gorgeous, just like in any other Ghibli film. Such a deeply rich palette of greens and blues – I could watch this film a second time paying attention only to the backgrounds in each scene, they are wondrous, there is such life and detail in the frame that it becomes all too easy to get lost in the picture and tune out the action on screen. After seeing a film like this, one dearly hopes there is a future for hand drawn animation. It is imperative that films like this are supported, and that this style of animation is not swept aside.

When Marnie Was There was originally released in 2014 in Japan. It made it’s way to the States last year, and it’s astounding that it took so long to be released in the UK. If you’re perhaps concerned that your child can’t keep up with subtitles, look around for the English dubbed release (though I haven’t been able to find any in my area), When Marnie Was There will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray in October, and through their collaboration with Disney, Studio Ghibli films have always been faithfully dubbed into other languages with the greatest care.

This could possibly be the last feature film that Studio Ghibli produce, which is heartbreaking. The global film industry is losing it’s, arguably, most reliable contributor. The legions of Ghibli fans no doubt hope that they continue, the studio itself maintains that it’s merely “on hiatus”. So, for the sake of animation, support this film! It might be the last time you get to see a Ghibli film in cinemas.

I sincerely hope it isn’t, but if so, be thankful, When Marnie Was There is a magnificent effort to bow out with.

Written by Callum Mackenzie.

Edit: The Red Turtle, which is a co-production between Studio Ghibli and Wild Bunch premiered at Cannes last month.