Studio Ghibli Returns in New Animated Feature 'The Red Turtle'

It has been two years since Studio Ghibli announced its hiatus following the retirement of renowned animator and director Hayao Miyazaki, and while there are no plans for a complete return just yet, the company recently collaborated with Wild Bunch for a new animated feature film, "The Red Turtle."

Set to premiere at this year's Fantastic Fest, "The Red Turtle" tells the story of a man washed up onto an island populated by turtles and crabs, but devoid of humans. The castaway finds himself confronted by a huge red turtle, which obstructs his efforts to escape the island, but also with whom the castaway bonds.

Helmed by Dutch-British animator Michael Dudok de Wit, he was introduced to Studio Ghibli with the aid of Wild Bunch's owner Vincent Maraval. He showed Miyazaki one of de Wit's short films, which galvanized the former to ask the young director for a proposal of doing a collaboration. Wild Bunch then contacted de Wit in London, and succeeded in convincing him to take on the project.

Aside from its premiere at Fantastic Fest, "The Red Turtle" was showcased at the recently concluded Cannes Film Festival, much to the acclaim of critics and moviegoers alike, allowing de Wit to bring home the Un Certain Regard - Special Prize Award. Sony Pictures Classics has taken up distribution rights for the film, and will be releasing the movie January next year in US.