Spirited Away: 25th anniversary screening + live music

Catch a 25th anniversary screening of Hayao Miyazaki’s Academy Award-winning masterpiece Spirited Away at Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace! This special event features a live performance from acclaimed pianist Natalya Plays Piano and a complimentary glass of sparkling wine on arrival.

The film:

Chihiro thinks she is on another boring trip with her parents. But when they stop at a village that is not all that it seems, her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, and Chihiro is whisked into a world of fantastic spirits, shape-shifting dragons and a witch who never wants to see her leave. She must call on the courage she never knew she had to free herself and return her family to the outside world.

The biggest box office hit of all time in Japan (surpassed only recently by Demon Slayer the Movie), Spirited Away helped redefine the possibilities of animation for Western audiences and a generation of new filmmakers. Combining Japanese mythology with Alice in Wonderland-type whimsy, Spirited Away cemented Miyazaki’s reputation as an icon of animation and storytelling.

Screening in original Japanese language with subtitles.

About Natalya Plays Piano:

Natalya Aynsley is a highly sought-after pianist, orchestrator, and award-nominated musical director (The Hello Girls, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever). A versatile and in-demand musician, Natalya regularly performs and records with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) and Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO). As a pop culture pianist, Natalya has toured Europe, Asia, and Australia, performing Final Fantasy solo piano concerts. She has also produced and toured her own solo concerts across Australia, featuring music from video games and anime, with critics calling her “a unique artist to keep an eye out for.”