Watch The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness is a 2013 documentary film directed by Mami Sunada that explores the inner workings of Studio Ghibli, the legendary Japanese animation studio responsible for some of the most beloved animated films of all time, including Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Princess Mononoke. The film offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the creative process behind these works of art and the personalities of the creative geniuses who brought them to life.

The film primarily follows the lives of three key figures at Studio Ghibli: Hayao Miyazaki, the legendary writer and director who has become synonymous with the studio's signature blend of magical realism and heartfelt storytelling; Yumiko Miyoshi, the veteran producer who oversees the day-to-day operations of the studio and works closely with Miyazaki to bring his visions to life; and Toshio Suzuki, the charismatic former president of the studio who played a significant role in the success of many of Studio Ghibli's most iconic films.

The documentary offers unprecedented access to the day-to-day operations of Studio Ghibli, from its cramped offices and noisy workspaces to its spacious sound stages and editing rooms. We see the animators at work, painstakingly sketching out each frame of animation by hand, and we get a glimpse into the long and often arduous process of creating a feature-length animated film.

But the heart of the film lies in its intimate portraits of Miyazaki, Miyoshi, and Suzuki themselves. We see Miyazaki in his element, sketching out characters and landscapes with a steady hand even as he expresses his doubts about his own abilities as an artist. Miyoshi, in turn, comes across as a calm and measured presence, helping to keep the production on track even as she struggles to balance her professional duties with her responsibilities as a new mother. And Suzuki is a lovable rogue, cracking jokes and charming everyone around him even as he laments the challenges of running a film studio in an increasingly competitive and commercialized industry.

Throughout it all, the documentary maintains a sense of wonder and awe at the creative process itself. We watch as Miyazaki and his team turn their rough sketches and storyboard ideas into intricate and fully realized worlds, all while grappling with the existential questions that haunt them as artists. In one memorable scene, Miyazaki muses on the curious fact that he can create entire worlds out of his own imagination, but he can't seem to understand the people who populate those worlds.

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness is not just a film about the making of animated movies, however. At its core, it is a film about the power of the human spirit and the strength of human connection. We see how the team at Studio Ghibli has become like a family over the years, bonded together by a shared love of art and storytelling. And we see how that bond has helped them weather the ups and downs of the film industry, from the unexpected commercial success of My Neighbor Totoro to the struggles that followed the box office disappointment of Tales from Earthsea.

At times, the film can be melancholic and introspective, offering a bittersweet meditation on the nature of creativity and the fleetingness of life itself. But ultimately, it is a celebration of the power of art to transform us and transport us to places we never thought possible. And it is a tribute to the remarkable men and women who have devoted their lives to creating some of the most enduring and beloved works of animation in the history of cinema.

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness is a 2014 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 58 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.7 and a MetaScore of 75.