[arne]

Princess Kaguya

I have to ask: it's been so long since you've made a film. Why now and why this story at this point in your life? What brought it about at this time?

Takahata-san: When you ask why this story now, it didn't have to be now. I could have made it 30 years ago or I could not have made it at all. Over 50 years ago I [first] had the idea of what might make this story interesting in a certain way. I had that idea. But I did not have a strong desire to make that story myself, to create the film myself.

But this time, somehow the conditions fell into place. Studio Ghibli had become a large enough studio to give me a budget [to make this]. And so, various other conditions fell into place for me to make this film.

http://www.firstshowing.net/2014/tiff-interview