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Portland Int'l Film Fest to Screen Giovanni's Island

The 38th Portland International Film Festival in Oregon will screen Production I.G's Giovanni's Island anime film on February 8 and February 10. Tickets are currently on sale for both screenings.

Production I.G's Annecy-winning hand-animated Giovanni's Island film tells the story of two brothers living on the island of Shikotan. Their family and the people of the island hear of Japan's loss in the war and are told not to worry. However, their island gets caught in the middle of the continuing conflict in the west and is invaded by Russian soldiers. The boys meet a western girl on the island named Tanya and the older of the brothers, despite their language barriers, cultural differences, and warnings from friends, starts to fall in love with her. The boys' father gets lured out by the army is and is captured and taken to Siberia. The brothers embark on a journey to see their father again.

Giovanni's Island received the Satoshi Kon Prize for Excellence in Animation and tied for the Audience Award at the 18th annual Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal in September. The film also won the Jury Special Mention at the Nueva Mirada Film Festival in Buenos Aires.

The film was submitted for an Oscar nomination but was not chosen. The film is nominated for the 38th annual Japan Academy Prizes.

The 38th Portland International Film Festival runs from February 5-21. The festival is also showing Mipo O's The Light Shines Only There, Yoji Yamada's The Little House, and Hitoshi Matsumoto's R100.

Thanks to WTK for the news tip