Anime can be entertaining and engrossing, and in this field, Hayao Miyazaki's successful productions take the lead. Istanbul’s prominent Atlas 1948 Cinema has prepared a new series dedicated to the legendary Japanese director and anime artist who won both critical and popular acclaim with his lyrical and elusive works. As part of "A Miyazaki Selection for a Sunday," three films by the famous director will be screened for Istanbulite viewers on Feb. 20.

With its renewed digital infrastructure, Atlas 1948 Cinema continues to showcase art, very special film selections, festivals and premieres, introducing audiences to visionary productions from an array of countries. In its latest selection, the movie theater will bring to Istanbul the magical world of Miyazaki, the co-founder of Studio Ghibli.

Miyazaki's whimsical world will be put on display in the historical atmosphere of Atlas 1948 Cinema with the screenings of "Howl’s Moving Castle," "My Neighbor Totoro" and "Princess Mononoke" to transport viewers to mysterious realms, whisking them away from reality for a while.

'A Miyazaki Selection for a Sunday'

"Howl’s Moving Castle" will be screened at the Atlas 1948 Cinema at 3:30 p.m. in its original language with Turkish subtitles. The 119-minute adventure anime tells the story of a young girl who tries to undo the effect of the spell cast on her. An ordinary teenage girl, Sophie, is magically transformed into a 90-year-old woman by an evil witch. Sophie is now old and unrecognizable to those around her. Due to this spell, she has to leave her hometown in great despair and settles in with a wizard named Howl, who lives in a walking castle. The fire demon named Calcifer living in this castle shares the same fate as Sophie. The duo unites around the same goal: to destroy the effect of the black magic cast on them. Meanwhile, a war that broke out outside the castle threatens the unity and solidarity of the country. The film, directed by the animation genius Miyazaki, is one of the most creative works of the animation genre.

"My Neighbor Totoro" will meet Istanbulite anime lovers at 5:45 p.m. The 86-minute film will be screened in Japanese with Turkish subtitles. The fantastic, comical production revolves around the story of two little girls. When their mother falls ill with an unnamed, long-term illness, the girls want to move to an old house near the hospital where their mother is staying. The girls manage to convince their father, who is a professor, to move to this area. Satsuki and Mei eventually realize that there are beings living with them in the house. When the girls somehow get rid of them, the fascinating beings they encounter in the forest opposite their house lure the two sisters into an extraordinary world. "My Neighbor Totoro" is one of the most intimate and magical stories in the cult filmography of the Japanese animation master.

The cinema will present "Princess Mononoke" to viewers at 7:45 p.m. The 1997 adventurous anime, which is 134 minutes long, will also be screened in Japanese with Turkish subtitles. Telling the story of Ashitaka, the movie shows him peacefully living in a village. One day, Ashitaka notices something evil coming from the forest. This evil being continues on its way, destroying every being he comes into contact by using his uncompromising and unlimited power. Ashitaka is cursed when he tries to stand up to the evil creature to save a little girl. In order to get rid of this curse, he must find the spirit of the forest, the only being that can help him. However, the quest he will embark on is eerie and dangerous. As Ashitaka confronts his own fears, he will see that everyone is harmed in the struggles of war.