News Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron wins Golden Globe

The film centres on a young boy who meets a mysterious speaking heron after losing his mother during World War Two. It echoes parts of Mr Miyazaki's life story. Like the boy, his family was evacuated to the countryside during the war. Mr Miyazaki also had a deep bond with his mother, who was said to have significantly influenced his work and the strong female characters in his films. The Golden Globes have traditionally been seen as a bellwether for the Oscars. Mr Miyazaki's 2001 feature, Spirited Away, won an Oscar in the animated feature category. Mr Miyazaki came out of retirement to make The Boy and the Heron and spent seven years on the production. He directed and wrote the original screenplay for the film. The film was reportedly the first original anime film to top the North American box office after it was released in December. It premiered in Japan in June and has been a box office hit in many countries, grossing over $136m (£107m) worldwide. Producer Toshio Suzuki said it was one of the most expensive Japanese films ever made last year.

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