When Marnie Was There

When Marnie Was There (Japanese: 思い出のマーニー) is a 2014 Japanese animated psychological drama film co-written and directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi, produced by Studio Ghibli and distributed by Toho. It is based on Joan G. Robinson's 1967 novel of the same name. The film follows Anna Sasaki, a foster child, as she spends a summer with relatives in a seaside town in Hokkaido, near the Kushiro wetlands. Anna encounters an abandoned mansion and meets a mysterious girl named Marnie, who asks her to keep their meetings a secret. As the summer progresses, Anna spends more time with Marnie and discovers truths about her family and her adoption. When Marnie Was There was the final film produced by Studio Ghibli before the studio’s hiatus. It received positive reviews, praised for its animation, music, and emotional story, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.