The Japanese animation studio Ghibli, will receive an honorary Palme d'Or at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.

The famous Japanese animation studio Ghibli, which has produced most of Hayao Miyazaki's and Isao Takahata's films, will receive an honorary Palme d'Or at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.

Toshio Suzuki, co-founder of Studio Ghibli, said: "I am truly honored and happy that the studio will receive the Honorary Palme d'Or and I thank the Cannes Film Festival from the bottom of my heart."

The producer of most of Hayao Miyazaki's films stated that this award encourages Ghibli "to take on new challenges, under the leadership of teams who will perpetuate the spirit of the company."

Iris Knobloch, President of the Cannes Film Festival, and Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate, also emphasized that this is the first time in the history of the Festival that an institution, and not an individual, will be celebrated.

"With Ghibli, Japanese animation cinema is experienced as one of the great adventures of cinephilia, between tradition and modernity," they also stated, praising the studio's "rich and colorful universes" and its "sensitive and committed stories."

Founded 40 years ago, Studio Ghibli has mainly produced films by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, including "My Neighbor Totoro," "Grave of the Fireflies," and more recently, Hayao Miyazaki's "The Boy and the Beast," which was praised at the Oscars.

Over the years, Cannes has only screened two films from the studio: "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya" in 2013 and "The Red Turtle" in 2016. Additionally, only a handful of animated films have been in competition, including "Shrek 2," "Ghost in the Shell 2," "Persepolis," and "Waltz with Bashir."

Another Honorary Palme d'Or will also be awarded this year at the Cannes Film Festival: it will be given to American screenwriter, producer, and director George Lucas, creator of the Star Wars franchise.