L'isola di Giovanni

Junpei and his little brother Kanta are growing up on a small, far- northerly island of Japan, near the east coast of Russia, during and after World War II. After the Japanese are defeated, Soviet soldiers and their families take over the island, forcing the Japanese inhabitants to live in barns and to get by on small rations of rice smuggled to them from their former military posts. At first, Junpei and his family resent the Russians, but then he and Kanta meet Tanya, the daughter of the Soviet commander who is living in what was once their home. Children being children, they soon are playing together, learning each other's language and maybe, just maybe, falling a little bit in love. But when Junpei's father is betrayed to the Soviets, Junpei blames Tanya, believing that she told her father a secret with which he had entrusted her. There are other possible suspects, but by the time Junpei learns the truth, he and all the other Japanese are being moved off the island into internment camps, far away from Tanya....

This is a really beautiful animated film, filled with both humour and loss, all told on a human scale where nobody is all-good and nobody is all-bad. One of the most affecting scenes involves the Japanese schoolchildren singing a folk song (in Japanese, of course) while in the next school room, Russian children are singing a Russian folk song; by the end of the scene, the Japanese kids are singing the Russian song and vice versa. Just one example of how this film shows the resilience of youth and the common humanity of everybody in the world. Perhaps my favourite film at Montreal's Fantasia Festival this year; a real gem.

I just finished watching this about ten minutes ago, and I'm still feeling like I'm about to sob my eyes out.. This movie was so beautiful, I am amazed at the intensity of the storyline. It's sad to see that this was only a taste of what the Japanese went through during this time, but it opens your eyes to the reality through this anime. I'm kind of in awe of how moving this was to me. I watched it thinking it would be a cute little movie, but this was definitely 10/10! Worth watching a hundred times more. I hope you decide to watch this and become as amazed at the beauty of it as I was!!

A dramatic yet heart-warming story of cross-cultural friendship among children in the aftermath of WWII, presented by Tokyo-based award-winning animation studio Production I.G. Based on true events.

I thought the movie was good and emotional. Thats all there is to it.

We have plenty of films depicting WW2, but not as much about when it ended. For the surrendering countries, the end of the war didn't mean peace. Despite the war being over, returning soldiers were still taken as prisoners of war by Soviets, shipped to Siberia as mentioned in the film; families were separated, taken to interment camps, and the conditions killed many.

This movie encapsulates and beautifully illustrates the Japanese experience of the 'end' of WW2. Each character represents a different attitude taken at the time towards duty and country, giving each attitude its justice without bias.

It's amazing to see the history of my German great grandparents reflected in this film, despite it being about Japan; this history is often entirely neglected since they were the bad guys, but through stories like these, we experience these hardships and sufferings overlooked by the world. The film represents both the Japanese and the Soviets as humans, likewise important despite the harm the USSR did to Japan.

The impact is great yet simple, a very enjoyable film, not too heavy yet plucks a few heartstrings still and leaves an impression. The animations is lovely and drives home the themes of the movie.

Nice story. It's very humorous. I'm enjoying it. It's pictures a lot how idealistic Japanese class rooms look like.

It's awesome picture for people who like traditional Japanese and further continuation.

It's less westernized than today/modern japan.