Studio Ghibli fans, this one’s for you! The Academy Museum’s beloved Family Matinees series is turning into an unofficial Ghibli celebration this May, with three back-to-back screenings of some of Hayao Miyazaki’s most iconic films. And honestly, it might be the coziest thing happening in Los Angeles this month.
Every Saturday at 11am, the museum hosts family-friendly screenings featuring beloved classics and modern favorites rated G or PG. But this month’s lineup feels especially magical, leaning fully into the whimsical, emotionally devastating, visually transcendent world of Studio Ghibli.
Whether you grew up with these films or you’re finally experiencing them on the big screen for the first time, this is the kind of programming that reminds you animation can be just as moving, cinematic, and emotionally complex as any prestige drama.
The Studio Ghibli Lineup
Howl’s Moving Castle
Sat, May 16, 2026 — 11am
David Geffen Theater
Few films capture Ghibli’s signature chaos and beauty quite like Howl’s Moving Castle. Set in a dreamy steampunk world, the Oscar-nominated fantasy follows Sophie, a young woman cursed into old age, as she finds refuge inside the magical moving castle of the mysterious wizard Howl.
It’s romantic, strange, anti-war, visually overwhelming in the best way, and packed with the kind of emotional tenderness Miyazaki does better than almost anyone else.
Kiki’s Delivery Service
Sat, May 23, 2026 — 11am
Ted Mann Theater
Warm, comforting, and quietly profound, Kiki’s Delivery Service remains one of Studio Ghibli’s most beloved coming-of-age stories. The film follows 13-year-old witch Kiki as she leaves home to build a life for herself in a charming seaside town alongside her endlessly iconic black cat, Jiji.
Underneath the cozy visuals and whimsical flying sequences is a surprisingly honest story about independence, burnout, loneliness, and self-confidence, which explains why the movie somehow gets more relatable with age.
The Boy and the Heron
Accessible Screening
Sat, May 30, 2026 — 11am
Ted Mann Theater
Closing out the month is Miyazaki’s newest masterpiece, The Boy and the Heron, presented as the series’ monthly accessible screening with open captions, dimmed lighting, and lower sound levels for neurodiverse audiences.
Dreamlike, surreal, and deeply personal, the Oscar-winning film feels like Miyazaki reflecting on grief, memory, creativity, and legacy all at once. The boy in the film, “must battle his grief and learn that he has the capability to create a better world.”
Accessible Screenings
On the last Saturday of each month, the Family Matinee offers a sensory-friendly screening with open captions, dimmed lights, and lower volume for neurodivergent viewers and their families.
Ticket Information
Shockingly, all tickets are only $5 for everyone. Get your tickets here!
Why this is the perfect cozy weekend plan
There’s something incredibly wholesome about spending a Saturday morning inside a movie theater watching Studio Ghibli films with a room full of families, animation lovers, and nostalgic adults clutching coffee cups.
In a city obsessed with the next big thing, these screenings feel like a reminder to slow down and revisit stories that still manage to feel timeless. Plus, Ghibli movies were practically made for theatrical viewing with the sweeping scores, hand-drawn landscapes, tiny visual details, and emotional gut-punches all hit differently on the big screen.
