TEHRAN – The 2010 Japanese animated fantasy film “The Secret World of Arrietty,” also simply known as “Arrietty,” directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, will be screened at the Iranian Artists Forum (IAF) in Tehran on Thursday. 

The 94-minute animation will be shown at the Nasseri Hall of the IAF at 6 p.m. with Persian subtitles, ILNA reported.

Written by Hayao Miyazaki and Keiko Niwa, and animated by Studio Ghibli, “Arrietty” was Yonebayashi’s feature film debut as a director.

It is based on the 1952 novel “The Borrowers” by Mary Norton, an English author of children's books, about a family of tiny people who live secretly in the walls and floors of a typical household, borrowing items from humans to survive. 

The animation tells the story of a young Borrower (Arrietty) befriending a human boy (Shawn) while trying to avoid being detected by the other humans.

Arrietty, a tiny teenager, lives with her parents in the recesses of a suburban home, unbeknownst to the homeowner and housekeeper. Like others of her kind, Arrietty remains hidden from her human hosts, but occasionally ventures forth from beneath the floorboards to borrow sugar cubes and other supplies. A secret friendship forms when 12-year-old Shawn meets Arrietty, but their relationship could spell danger for Arrietty's family.

It was released in Japan on July 17, 2010, by Toho, and received positive reviews from critics, who praised its animation and music. It became the highest-grossing Japanese film at the Japanese box office for the year 2010, and grossed over $145 million worldwide. 

The animated film also won the Animation of the Year award at the 34th Japan Academy Prize award ceremony. 

Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio based in Tokyo. It was founded in 1985 by directors Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata and producer Toshio Suzuki. It has a strong presence in the animation industry and has expanded its portfolio to include various media such as short subjects, television commercials, and two television films. 

The studio's work is often highly acclaimed by both critics and audiences and recognized with numerous awards. Their mascot and most recognizable character is Totoro from the 1988 film “My Neighbor Totoro,” a giant spirit inspired by raccoon dogs (tanuki) and cats (neko). Among the studio's highest-grossing films are “Princess Mononoke” (1997), “Spirited Away” (2001), “Howl's Moving Castle” (2004), “Ponyo” (2008), and “The Boy and the Heron” (2023).

Studio Ghibli's major awards across organizations include two Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature, one Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film, one BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film, one Golden Bear, three Animage Grand Prix awards, and six Japan Academy Prizes. 

The Iranian Artists Forum is located at Artists Park on North Mousavi Street, Taleqani Street.

SS/SAB