Studio Ghibli Co-Produced 'The Red Turtle' To Play Cannes 2016

This year is set to see the release of the first international co-production from the one and only Studio Ghibli, with Michael Dudok de Wit's The Red Turtle. The film is being co-produced with France's Wild Bunch and will mark Dutch/British animator's de Wit's first full-length feature. Due to be released in Japan in September, it has now been announced that it will be screening in advance at this year's Cannes Film Festival in France.

The film will screen in competition as part of the 'Un Certain Regard' category and will be the only animated film competing this year.

The Red Turtle is a dialogue-free film, that will see a man attempting to escape a desert island, and finding his efforts repeatedly scuppered by the titular sea-fearing reptile. De Wit reportedly storyboarded and wrote the film in residence at Ghibli, with the legendary Isao Takahata acting as Artistic Producer and offering creative advice. The film itself was then produced in France.



It's going to be fascinating to see this without a doubt. No animator could have a higher honour than to be singled out by Ghibli, so we can expect great things from de Wit. Takahata's input to the project can also be seen as an indicator that this should be something special.

The 69th  Cannes International Film Festival will take place between the 11th and 22nd May 2016. The Red Turtle is due for release in Japan on September 16th. Releases elsewhere have yet to be announced. A new poster has also been released, which you can see below.

[source]