The Red Carpet Cinemas hosted the Studio Ghibli Weekend Film Festival to honor 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees, including Japanese master filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. The festival, held at the Red Carpet Cinemas on November 16-17, showcased six of Miyazaki’s masterpieces, including the ecological heroism of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984) and the whimsical underwater adventure of Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (2008). Other highlights included Howl’s Moving Castle (2004), Spirited Away (2001), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), and Castle in the Sky (1986), all of which were praised for their magical and heartwarming stories.

The lineup was a fitting ode to Miyazaki who received Asia’s premier prize and highest honor for using “animation to explore complex human issues, inspiring audiences with thought-provoking films that champion nature, peace, and humanity.”

Hosted in partnership with The Japan Foundation, Manila and the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF), the Studio Ghibli weekend also celebrated the remarkable achievements of all the 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees. Among the distinguished attendees at the Red Carpet Cinemas were Bhutan’s Karma Phuntsho, honored for his efforts to preserve his nation’s cultural heritage, representatives from Thailand’s Rural Doctors Movement, recognized for their dedication to delivering healthcare to remote rural communities, and even Studio Ghibli’s Vice President for Events and Exhibitions, Mr. Kenichi Yoda.

Other 2024 Ramon Magsaysay Awardees are Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, a doctor during the Vietnam War who witnessed severe birth defects in newborns and dedicated her life to uncovering the truth about Agent Orange, and Farwiza Farhan, an inspiring environmental advocate who leads efforts to protect Sumatra’s Leuser Ecosystem.

The event was also attended by Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation Chairperson Cheche Lazaro, Shangri-La Plaza Corporation Retail Operations Head Johnny G. Rios, The Japan Foundation, Manila Director Ben Suzuki, and Minister and Consul General Hanada Takahiro of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines.

With the Studio Ghibli Weekend Film Festival, the Red Carpet Cinemas at Shangri-La Plaza continued its mission of bringing the best of world cinema to local audiences, while serving as a great venue for inspired gatherings by honoring those whose work makes the world a better place.

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