Studio Ghibli's wondrous fantasy adventure Spirited Away received critical acclaim when it was first released in Japan in 2001. In September 2022, the film finally made its way to North American theaters. Now, as part of Fathom Events' annual Ghibli Fest, the Academy Award-winning film is set to return to U.S. theaters.
Fathom Events and its distribution partner, GKIDS, are presenting theatrical screenings of Spirited Away at participating U.S. theaters from April 27 to May 1.
Audiences will have the option to purchase tickets to view the film in its original Japanese version with English subtitles or watch the English-dubbed version that was produced by Walt Disney Pictures.
Below are the specific dates and times for when each version is playing. You can purchase tickets directly from the Fathom Events website.
- Saturday, April 27 at 3:00 PM (SUB)
- Sunday, April 28 at 3:00 PM & 7:00 PM (DUB)
- Monday, April 29 at 7:00 PM (SUB)
- Tuesday, April 30 at 7:00 PM (DUB)
- Wednesday, May 1 at 7:00 PM (SUB)
Written and directed by the legendary Hayao Miyazaki, Spirited Away is a fantastical adventure about a 10-year-old girl, Chihiro, who is whisked into a world of kami, which is ruled by the witch Yubaba. Forced to work in Yubaba's bathhouse, Chihiro must find a way to free herself and her parents and escape to the human world.
The official synopsis for the film reads:
Chihiro’s family is moving to a new house, but when they stop on the way to explore an abandoned village, her parents undergo a mysterious transformation and Chihiro is whisked into a world of fantastic spirits ruled over by the sorceress Yubaba. Put to work in a magical bathhouse for spirits and demons, Chihiro must use all her wits to survive in this strange new place, find a way to free her parents and return to the normal world. Overflowing with imaginative creatures and thrilling storytelling, Spirited Away became a worldwide smash hit, and is one of the most critically-acclaimed films of all time.
Spirited Away received universal acclaim and is considered to be one of the best-animated films of all time. Its critical success was matched by its box office success where it grossed $395.8 million worldwide back in 2001. It was the highest-grossing film in Japanese history ($305 million) — a record that it held for 19 years before it was surpassed by Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train in 2020.
Animated by Studio Ghibli and distributed by Toho, Spirited Away won Best Film at the 25th Japan Academy Award.