MSU's Cinema International program presents The Secret World of Arrietty this week. Program director Dr. Thérèse St. Paul and senior Japanese instructor Yoko Hatakeyama discuss the film and upcoming screenings with Tracy Ross.
From the MSU Cinema International website:
"This fantasy film tells the story of four-inch-tall people, the Clock family, who lives secretly in the walls and floors of a typical household, borrowing items from humans to survive and trying to avoid being detected. Life changes for the Clocks when their teenage daughter Arrietty is discovered.
Adapted from the 1952 novel The Borrowers by Mary Norton, an English children's book author, the film received several awards, with a screenplay by famous Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa. The soundtrack album won "Best Original Soundtrack Album" at the 2011 Japan Gold Disc Awards."
"I think this is a truly delightful film for both parents and children," St. Paul begins. "What struck me are the macro details—the precision of the drawings; the accurate representations of the interior; the contrast of the little people and the world of humans; the bewitching, smart observation of objects that seem huge, like a sugar cube or a leaf. Delightful."
St. Paul explains there is also an environmental undertone to the film. "The people there are said to be a dying species. They are in danger all the time—most of all by humans. There's an environmental message here."
Like many Studio Ghibli films, Hatakeyama says, this film is a story of a girl's coming of age. "The protagonist of many Studio Ghibli films are girls. The films describe the process of maturation of the girls."
The protagonists reach maturity through overcoming pain and hardship, including physical labor. And unlike many popular films, there are no romances between boy and girl main characters.
"There are faint feelings of love," Hatakeyama explains. "[The main male character] is there to support [Arrietty] and help her grow but never becomes her prince charming."
This non-romantic love between characters is uncommon, and so is the inclusion of strong female protagonists at all. "Studio Ghibli was founded in 1985," Hatakeyama says. "Many creators of Studio Ghibli are males. However, they have consistently created their films, from the beginning, which describe a girl's strength and independence."
"In Japan, which is an extremely male-dominated society," she continues, "in 1985, gender equality was much worse than it is now. I am really interested in the tradition of the Studio Ghibli."
"There is a feminist intent, an environmental intent," St. Paul adds. "I think we cannot but be in awe of the sheer imagination. I think, even as an adult, we are reconnecting with what we call the child within when we view such a movie. It's a fairy tale. But like all fairy tales, it has a message. It strikes a chord. A chord of hope, perhaps, for the future."
MSU Cinema International presents The Secret Life of Arrietty this Thursday, November 4th, in the Barkley Room and on Saturday, November 6th, in the Curris Center Theater. Both screenings begin at 7:30 pm and are located on the third floor of the Curris Center.
Screenings are free and open to the public. Masks are required.
For more information on the Cinema International program, including upcoming screenings and how to donate, visit its website.
