Grave of the Fireflies

Monday, June 26 - Tuesday, July 11, 2023

“Proof that animation can cover painful adult topics as bravely and powerfully as any live-action movie. A study of the effects of war on children through the eyes of a pair of stranded Japanese kids under American bombardment, its position as the bleakest, most unrelenting animated film is challenged only by When the Wind Blows.” – Time Out (London)

As the Empire of the Sun crumbles upon itself and a rain of firebombs falls upon Japan, the final death march of a nation is echoed in millions of smaller tragedies. This is the story of Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, two children born at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and now cast adrift in a world that lacks not the care to shelter them, but simply the resources. Forced to fend for themselves in the aftermath of fires that swept entire cities from the face of the earth, their doomed struggle is both a tribute to the human spirit and the stuff of nightmares. Beautiful, yet at times brutal and horrifying. Based on the retellings of survivor Nosaka Akiyuki and directed by Isao Takahata (co-founder, with Hayao Miyazaki, of Japan’s legendary Studio Ghibli,) GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES has been universally hailed as an artistic and emotional tour de force.

Screening as part of our series A Studio Ghilbli Summer!

Previously screened as part of our series The Films of Studio Ghibli.

All screenings will be presented in Japanese with English subtitles.

  • Country Japan
  • Language Japanese with English Subtitles
  • Rating NR
  • Year 1988
  • Running Time 89 minutes
  • Distributor GKIDS
  • Director Isao Takahata
  • Accessibility Assistive Listening, T-Coil

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.