The Red Turtle

A man awakens adrift in the middle of the ocean. He is able to swim to a nearby remote island which is only inhabited by crabs, birds and a mysterious red turtle. This is the premise to the Michaël Dudok de Wit's first feature length film, a collaboration between French production studio The Wild Bunch and Japanese animation powerhouse Studio Ghibli. The result of this collaboration is a visually stunning and emotionally complex film.

De Wit explained after the screening that he loved the desert island stories he heard as a child but wanted to tell a different story than Robinson Crusoe. He was less interested in the mechanics of how a man can live on (or escape from) a desert island and more interested in how that man would feel. The practicalities of how the man would survive on this island are dealt with early on and in little detail. The island has fruit bearing trees and a pool of drinkable water at its centre. A very tense sequence early in the film sees the man fall into a crevice and swim the length of a claustrophobic underwater tunnel to escape. These sequences of peril are few. The majority of the film concerns the real interest of the director; what would keep a man on his island? What would he need to be happy there? De Wit explained his process as being very natural. He arrived at the premise and then wrote the story without a plan. He wanted something to keep the man on the island, something natural. He then settled on a giant turtle saying it just felt right. Not too cute, nor too animalistic. The effect of this writing style is that the film has a very dream like quality.

The animation is stunning. The island is rendered in lush colours. The realistic approach to character movements and environments makes the fantastical elements all the more spellbinding.

The director also mentioned symbolism in his discussion, hoping that it was clear. I must admit that if the film is a direct allegory then it's a little elusive. Perhaps it's a story about surrendering the instinct to escape one's circumstances and learning to embrace them. Or perhaps it's about not yearning to return to home but to make one for oneself. The man initially dreams of bridges leaving the island and string quartets appearing on the beach. As the man explores the wonders of the island he stops dreaming, discovering that the island has its own fantasies to offer. The deceptively simple story demands some thought but more significantly insists on being felt.

Other interesting details from the discussion with the director included the sudden contact from Studio Ghibli. Someone from the studio contacted him having seen some of his animated shorts. He was offered the chance to make whatever film he wanted. This, surely, is the impossible dream of all animators. He described the experience of working with the animation giant as incredibly rewarding, with their input and guidance allowing him to make a better film.

It is interesting to see the Ghibli elements within the film. Most noticeably, I think, the studio has influenced the wildlife seen on screen. Aside from the eponymous reptile, the man is joined on his island by a group of crabs. These crabs are drawn realistically but act anthropomorphically, functioning as comic relief. It's difficult not to recall the Soot Sprites from Spirited Away. However despite the whimsy of these crabs, they are still depicted as part of nature. They drag live fish away to be consumed and are themselves eaten by birds. The juxtaposition of the charms of nature with its horrors recalls the woodland scenes from The Tale of Princess Kaguya.

This is a very unique film. It has far less in common with stories like Castaway than its premise may suggest. Instead this is a fantastical exploration of what makes a person content with their surroundings. Fans of Michaël Dudok de Wit will appreciate the flawless transition he has made to feature film and fans of Studio Ghibli will find plenty of the magic and wonder they may be missing since When Marnie Was There.

Plunder what you will, it's well worth the effort and a very rewarding one at that. Your interpretations will vary depending on your own experiences but you will recognise many elements, mostly metaphorical in their nature, that you can reflect upon and align with your own sands of time. Enchantingly ascribed to the medium of film, it also teaches us that simplicity and less complex presentations can often remove distortions that more technical offerings inadvertently introduce. We are still only Hunter Gatherers at the end of the day, and at the start of all those subsequent days that follow.

A man is stranded on a tiny ocean island. All that happens from then on is beautifully drawn and animated, but is quite metaphorical. It's all about the cycle of life, so try to read more into events than just what's on the surface. Hah, the surface, get it? Well, you will when you see the film.

There is absolutely no dialogue, just this simple story that somehow makes you feel stuff. The movements of the characters and animals are so fun and natural (maybe except a bat that was flying like a bird for some reason), the visuals are beautiful, it's a relaxing show.

It might put you off with the pacing, perhaps. I found myself looking at how much was remaining from the film several times, but most of the time I was entertained. I liked it.

As far as I know this is the first time the illustrious Studio Ghibli has cooperated with a director outside Japan. Still they gave it their trade mark detailed approach to the depiction of nature, and since the whole story is about nature, and about human beings as a part of nature - it counts. What we get is a fable/fairy tale, about a survivor-castaway getting to a deserted island with no human or other land in sight. And the surprising story of his life following that event. I don't do spoilers, and almost anything I could add would be a spoiler. So I'll limit myself to one more remark - the absence of dialogue works for this movie and in a way make this fantastic story more real. Words seem unnecessary as the story develops.

Though it's animation, it's not exactly made for children, but it could work very well for children viewing it. The auditorium in the Jerusalem Film Festival was packed with children and I didn't hear a single complaint.

"The Red Turtle" is an animated film that left my entire family feeling quietly devastated without even being able to put our fingers on why.

With no dialogue, it traces the trajectory life takes for most people: starting out alone, finding someone to partner with, raising children, watching those children leave, and then saying goodbye yourself to the world. The film explores how things that can at first seem like barriers to happiness and contentment can eventually lead us to the things about life that we cherish most. It's not a film full of big, obvious emotions, but instead works a quiet and subtle spell. My eight year old was extremely attuned to the melancholy sadness of the film and spent a couple of minutes in tears afterwards. It gave us a good opportunity to talk about why the movie made him sad and to make him feel OK about having honest reactions to what are essentially the ups and downs of life.

Nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2016 Academy Awards.

Grade: A