A nimated fantasy feature The Boy and the Heron is set to open the 48th annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) as its opening night gala presentation on September 7.

The film is Academy Award–winning director Hayao Miyazaki’s first feature in 10 years, known previously for animated classics My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away.

“Already acclaimed as a masterpiece in Japan, Hayao Miyazaki’s new film begins as a simple story of loss and love and rises to a staggering work of imagination. I look forward to our audience discovering its mysteries for themselves, but I can promise a singular, transformative experience,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF in a release of the hand-drawn feature film.

The Boy and the Heron’s screening at TIFF will mark its international premiere, having previously been released in Japan without promotion, marketing or even so much as a logline—to record-breaking success. It also marks the first time an animated film has opened the festival in its 48-year history.

Miyazaki, a co-founder of Studio Ghibli, was recently honoured at TIFF showcase POP Japan, celebrating the convergence of the cult, pulp, and popular in Japanese film and art.

The story was written and directed by Miyazaki and produced by Studio Ghibli, with a musical score from Miyazaki’s long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi. It is distributed by GKIDS in New York.

Previous Studio Ghibli films screened at TIFF include The Red Turtle (2016), The Tale of The Princess Kaguya (2014), The Wind Rises (2013), From Up on Poppy Hill (2011), Spirited Away (2002), and Princess Mononoke (1999).

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images