Giovanni's Island

Soviet forces occupy the Island Shikotan off the coast of Hokkaido as WWII draws to a conclusion. Their commander and his family settle in the home of the brothers Junpei and Kanta, and their father Tatsuo. Junpei falls in love with the commander's daughter, the beautiful Tanya, as Japanese and Soviets learn to live together. Peace, however, poses just as big a threat for Junpei and his family as the war did, and the family is split up when Tatsuo is deported to Siberia. The two brothers, named after the protagonists in Miyazawa's Night on the Galactic Railroad, set out on a journey to reunite with their father. As their namesakes they go through hardship and tragedy, armed only with the resilience of childhood. htb

Nishikubo Mizuho (b. 1953) has decades of experience as episode director of animated TV series such as Science Ninja Team Gatchaman and Zillion. The script is written by Shigemichi Sugita (The Last Ronin) in collaboration with Yoshiki Sakurai (Ghost in the Shell). Giovanni's Island has caught the attention of festival audiences worldwide, and won Special Distinction at this year's Annecy International Animated Film Festival.