When Marnie Was There (2014)
A Studio Ghibli masterpiece about loneliness, memory, and a mysterious friendship that blurs the boundary between the real and the imagined.
When Marnie Was There - Movie Information
- Original Title: 思い出のマーニー
- Release Year: 2014
- Directed by: Hiromasa Yonebayashi
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Animation, Drama, Family, Mystery
- Age Rating (US): PG
- Runtime: 1h 43m
- Original Language: Japanese
- Spoken Languages: Japanese
- Release Date (Theatrical): July 19, 2014 (Japan - G), May 22, 2015 (United States - PG), June 10, 2016 (United Kingdom - U), November 12, 2015 (Germany - 0), January 14, 2015 (France - U), March 18, 2015 (Australia - PG), March 18, 2016 (Spain - 7), March 19, 2015 (South Korea - All)
- Alternative Titles: As Memórias de Marnie (BR), 回忆中的玛妮 (CN), Omoide no Mani (JP), When Marnie Was There (KR), Souvenirs de Marnie (FR), Marnie – min hemmelige venninne (NO), Marnie: Przyjaciółka ze snów (PL), El recuerdo de Marnie (CL)
- Production Companies: Studio Ghibli, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners, KDDI, Nippon Television Network Corporation, TOHO, dentsu, The Walt Disney Company (Japan), Mitsubishi
- Production Countries: Japan
When Marnie Was There - Plot
Upon being sent to live with relatives in the countryside due to an illness, an emotionally distant adolescent girl becomes obsessed with an abandoned mansion and infatuated with a girl who lives there - a girl who may or may not be real.
When Marnie Was There - Trailer
Watch the official trailer and step into the dreamlike world of Anna and Marnie:
Promise we'll remain a secret, forever.
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When Marnie Was There - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Main Cast
- Sara Takatsuki
- Kasumi Arimura
- Nanako Matsushima
- Susumu Terajima
- Toshie Negishi
- Ryoko Moriyama
- Kazuko Yoshiyuki
- Hitomi Kuroki
- Hiroyuki Morisaki
- Takuma Otoo
Writers
- Masashi Ando
- Keiko Niwa
- Hiromasa Yonebayashi
Producers
- Koji Hoshino
- Yoshiaki Nishimura
- Masami Hosokawa
- Tomoko Nakayama
When Marnie Was There - FAQs
What is When Marnie Was There about?
When Marnie Was There follows Anna, a withdrawn twelve-year-old sent to rural Hokkaido for her health. There, she becomes drawn to an old seaside mansion and befriends the enigmatic Marnie — a golden-haired girl whose existence blurs the line between memory, dream, and reality. It's a quietly haunting story about loneliness, identity, and belonging.
Is Marnie a ghost or a real person in the film?
Marnie is revealed to be Anna's grandmother as a young girl — a figure from the past who exists in a kind of emotional memory tied to the old mansion. She isn't a ghost in the traditional sense, but she isn't simply imaginary either. The film deliberately keeps her nature mysterious until its deeply moving final act.
Where can you stream When Marnie Was There?
You can stream When Marnie Was There on HBO Max. It's also available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home — so there are plenty of ways to watch it whenever you're ready.
Does When Marnie Was There have a happy ending?
Yes — in a bittersweet, deeply satisfying way. Anna uncovers the truth about Marnie's identity and, in doing so, discovers her own origins and finds a sense of peace she had long been missing. It's an emotionally cathartic conclusion that leaves most viewers in tears, but in the best possible way.
Who are the main voice actors in this film?
The Japanese cast features Sara Takatsuki as the introverted Anna and Kasumi Arimura as the luminous Marnie. Nanako Matsushima voices Anna's foster mother Yoriko, while Susumu Terajima and Toshie Negishi play the warm countryside couple who take Anna in. It's a beautifully assembled ensemble.
Is When Marnie Was There based on a book?
Yes! The film is adapted from Joan G. Robinson's 1967 British children's novel of the same name. Studio Ghibli relocated the story from the Norfolk marshes to rural Hokkaido in northern Japan, but the emotional core — a lonely girl's mysterious friendship with an elusive, possibly imaginary companion — remains beautifully intact.
Was When Marnie Was There nominated for an Academy Award?
Yes — the film earned a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 88th Academy Awards in 2016. It was also Studio Ghibli's final theatrical feature before the studio went on hiatus, making the nomination a poignant send-off for one of animation's most beloved institutions.
Is When Marnie Was There suitable for young children?
It's rated PG, so it's appropriate for most ages, but it's a gentle, introspective film rather than a fast-paced adventure. Younger children may find the slow, dreamlike pace less engaging. It resonates most deeply with older kids, teens, and adults who appreciate quiet emotional storytelling.
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