'The Boy and the Heron' to be screened both in English and Japanese in the Philippines

"The Boy and the Heron" will have two versions in Philippine cinemas!

Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki’s much awaited film will be screened in its original Japanese version with English subtitles, as well as English-dubbed.

Moreover, a fan screening will be held on Saturday, January 6, at the SM Megamall Cinemas. Tickets are priced at P1,200, and includes a limited edition A3 poster, a collectible ticket, and a limited edition 2024 desk calendar.

"The Boy and the Heron" will premiere in local theaters on January 8, making it the first Hayao Miyazaki film to hit Philippine cinemas.

The film follows a boy named Mahito, who lost his mom in the bombings of Tokyo. When he and his father move to the countryside, he encounters a talking heron which leads him to another world with the promise of meeting his mother again.

It boasts the highest box office opening in Studio Ghibli’s history, grossing US $13.2 million during its opening weekend. It has also bagged several awards, including Best Animated Film from organizations such as New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, Boston Society of Film Critics, and more. It has also been nominated for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Score by The Golden Globe Awards, and Best Animated Feature by the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards.

—JCB, GMA Integrated News