Dudok de Wit, Studio Ghibli's The Red tortuga Film Wins Animafest Zagreb Award 

Dudok de Wit, Studio Ghibli\'s The Red Turtle Film Wins Animafest Zagreb Award

The Animafest Zagreb animation film festival in Croatia revealed on June 10 that Michael Dudok de Wit and

film won its Grand Prix – Feature Film category for the festival.

Sawako Kabuki\'s "Natsu no Gero wa Natsu no Sakana" ("Summer\'s Puke is Winter\'s Delight") short anime film was also nominated for the Student Film Competition category, and earned a Special Mention. The short also won the Jury Award in the Graduation Films category at the Annecy International Film Festival on Saturday.

opened in Japan last September, and opened in New York and Los Angeles for an Oscar-qualifying run last November. The film began screening in North American theaters on January 20.

The film was nominated for the Animated Feature Film category of the 89th Academy Awards, but did not win.

is the latest work by award-winning Dutch animator and director Michael Dudok de Wit ("The Monk and the Fish," "Father & Daughter" animated shorts).

co-produced the film with French film production and distribution company

Director de Wit temporarily moved to Koganei in Tokyo (where

is headquartered) to work on the film, completing the film\'s storyboards and the scenario in his time there, while

checked them. Takahata also served as the "artistic producer" for the film. Pascale Ferran (

The film screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2016, and won the Special Jury Prize at the Un Certain Regard section of the festival. The film then opened the 40th Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June 2016. The film later received the Best Animated Feature - Independent award at the 44th Annual Annie Awards in February.

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