GIOVANNI'S ISLAND
Giovanni no Shima
An untold story of courage and survival from Japanese master Mizuho Nishikubo.
In the aftermath of World War II, Soviet forces invaded the Kuril Islands, a contested area long shared between Russian and Japanese communities. Giovanni and his family first have their property stolen and are then spirited away to an internment camp to await repatriation to the Japanese mainland. Fighting privation and separation, Giovanni and his brother Campanella must discover a strength that neither of them knew they had.
Combining stunning animation with a delicately wrought story of friendship and family in the face of grand adversity, Giovanni's Island is the latest offering from anime legend Mizuho Nishikubo. Powerful, humane and unexpectedly magical, this is animation of the highest order, finding joy amid tragedy and wonder in the face of despair.