CHENNAI: Since the message of nature’s conservation doesn’t easily percolate to the grassroots of the society despite the climate change havoc we see all around, there are alternative ways to approach it. For example, Studio Ghibli films have powerful environment narratives that connect with both the young and the old seamlessly in ways that lectures and research papers can’t.
Through exquisite picturesque locations and elements of magical realism, Hayao Miyazaki, the director of Studio Ghibli, uses animated characters living in fantastical lands to showcase stories of love, loss, magic and relationships between man and nature.
Setting the stories in simple backgrounds, Miyazaki draws the attention of children and adults with messages of pacifism and environmentalism. Throughout his films, one is able to see how nature is interwoven into the fabric of the world and only by respecting and abiding by its rule can one truly live in harmony.
The film My Neighbour Totoro, tells the story of two sisters who moved to the countryside with their father. As their mother slowly recovers at a hospital, their father goes to work. Thus, the girls are left to discover the delights of the forest around their house. It is here they happen to stumble upon a giant forest spirit named Totoro.
Though the concept of nature is more of a secondary character in this film, it does touch upon the healing effects of forest and how Totoro takes the girls under his wing and nurtures and cares for them. The film makes one reminisce about the carefree days of their childhood while also emphasising upon the importance of nature. However, it is his movie Princess Mononoke which depicts the human impact on the environment and its dire consequences. Set in the 14th century in Japan, Princess Mononoke showcases the story of a prince named Ashitaka who is caught in a fight between the gods of the forest and the humans who exploit its resources.
By adding magical and fantastical elements to the story, Miyazaki shows that if one exploits the forests and drains it of its resources, the forest will retaliate and hurt mankind. Each character in the film is emboldened in shades of grey. In the course of the film, Lady Eboshi, the antagonist, wiped the forest to process iron and manufacture weapons.
However, she also provides employment to the outcasts of the society and is therefore a respected figure in the community. But her greed for nature’s resources is so overpowering that it obliterates any rational thought. Similarly, another protagonist named San or Princess Mononoke has been raised by wolves. Princess Mononoke exhibits fierce loyalty to the forest and its spirits. So deep is her relationship with the wild that she doesn’t even consider herself to be human and views all of humanity with pure hatred. The film ends with Princess Mononoke and Ashitaka restoring the balance of nature.
Miyazaki’s films have always found a way to provide thought-provoking stories with important embedded messages. Such films do hold a mirror to society by showcasing what our tomorrow could like. In a world which is full of environmental jargon—that is difficult for an ordinary man to grasp, films and stories such as these enlighten and educate. They not only remind us that our actions have consequences but also help us take the right path. Here’s wishing more filmmakers experiment with such narratives that can be transformational.