Giovanni’s Island
100 minutes
During WW II, Junpei and his little brother enjoy a relatively carefree childhood on a small island in a remote corner of Japan. They were named after Giovanni and Campanella, two characters from their late mother’s favourite book. When Japan capitulates in 1945, the Red Army arrives on the island. Houses and part of the school are requisitioned for the soldiers’ families. Gradually, the Japanese and Russian children spontaneously learn to sing each other’s songs and love blossoms between Junpei and the Russian commander’s daughter. Until Junpei’s father Tatsuo is picked up for resistance activities and the Japanese islanders are transferred to an internment camp in the USSR, where they spend a few years in horrible conditions. After fifty years, Junpei returns to the island in the company of his previous schoolmarm.
Heartrending Japanese drawn animation, based on true events, about the aftermath of war, family ties, (budding) love and death.
This program screened as part of Haff 2015
Showing in this program
