Director Celia Catunda Offers a Sneak Peek at Pinguim’s New Movie, ‘My Grandfather Is a Nihonjin’

Among the many international animated features being unveiled at this year’s Annecy Festival is My Grandfather Is a Nihonjin, a beautiful 2D-animated feature about a 10-year-old boy named Noboru who discovers his grandfather’s past and the history of Japanese immigration to Brazil. Directed by Celia Catunda, with a screenplay by Rita Catunda adapted from the acclaimed novel by Oscar Nakasato, the film explores identity, resilience and cultural legacy through the eyes of a family navigating the tides of immigration. The visuals are inspired by the vibrant paintings of Oscar Oiwa, a contemporary Brazilian-Japanese artist. Kiko Mistrorigo and Ricardo Rozzino are the film’s producer for Brazil’s Pinguim Content. The film was recently picked up by Gold Valley Films International (GVFI) for global sales (except Brazil and Japan).

We had a chance to catch up with Celia Catunda to find out more about this interesting new movie, which premieres at Annecy on Thursday:

Celia Catunda: Everything began with the first time I read Oscar Nakasato’s novel, Nihonjin. I got immensely inspired by the characters and the emotional approach of the narrative. I thought animation would be the perfect technic to convey Hideo’s memories, mixed with Noboru’s imagination. We created the treatment and script shifting the narrative perspective to the grandson’s point of view. For the visual development, we wanted it to express the mix of Japanese and Brazilian cultures, so we contacted Oscar Oiwa, a very talented Brazilian Japanese American visual artist, to help us. His countryside landscapes, stunning trees, sea waves and boats, with intricate details and vibrant colors, inspired us to push the boundaries of our visual storytelling, resulting in a unique blend of realism and Hideo’s personal memories.

As we started applying for pitching sessions, we were honored to be selected at events like Ventana Sur and Cinekid. At Ventana Sur, we received constructive feedback from industry experts that helped refine our pitch. And at Cinekid, we pitched the story to a group of children. Their enthusiastic reactions and imaginative suggestions gave us the confidence we needed to pursue our story. For instance, many kids told us about how different their grandparents were, as many came from different countries such as Italy, China and Argentina. In the following years, we also participated in two mentorships, MIAnima and MIFA Campus, that provided valuable feedback on the story, leading to significant enhancements in the script and animatic.

When I read the novel, I was deeply moved by the story, at the same time, I knew most people know nothing about it. The incredible courage of undertaking such a long journey in the 1920s, to a place as distant and unknown as Brazil, the perseverance and adaptability of the Japanese immigrants all impressed me greatly. I was really impacted by how the generational gap between Noboru and his grandfather grew wider, because of the deep cultural differences between Japan and Brazil. I also felt the relevance of touching the immigration subject, showing how important it is to have people from different cultures merging to create new ones, as seen in Brazil. I knew I had to tell this story.

When did you begin work on the movie? 

We began working on the treatment in 2015, and soon after, Rita wrote the script which we needed in order to request national funds in Brazil. But we were only able to start production in 2021.

Can you describe the visual style a bit? 

We really were looking for a unique visual style. In the beginning of the process, we tried different looks for the characters and backgrounds. We wanted something that felt both Brazilian and Japanese, but in a whimsical way, since we were talking about memories, and memories often take on a more poetic tone in hindsight. That’s why we contacted the artist Oscar Oiwa; his artistic journey has taken him across the globe, from Brazil to Japan, the U.K., and finally to New York City, where he currently resides, so his personal trajectory reflects the theme of the movie. We were looking for this mélange of realistic elements with a touch of fantasy, incorporating motifs from Hideo’s past, such as the ship, the ocean and the coffee plantations, with Noboru’s urban life in the city of São Paulo, in the ’90s.

Where was the animation produced, how many people worked on it and which animation tools were used? 

The animation was all made by Pinguim Content team, in Brazil, which is working remotely, since the COVID pandemic.  Approximately 200 people were involved on the entire production. For the animation, we worked mainly on Toon Boom, mixing cut-out and full animations. We animated all the lights and shadows and used Blender space to create projected shadows and environments, which allowed us to achieve a more dynamic lighting effect and to enhance the depth and atmosphere of each scene. After that, we faced the challenge of creating a texture for the characters layer that would work well against the painted backgrounds. We didn’t want to lose too much detail, but also didn’t want to be completely detached from the background paintings. It took us a long time and a lot of research until we could find a solution using Studio Artist. We developed unique algorithms and adjusted the software settings to achieve the desired texture and integration with our painted backgrounds.

Why do you think the movie stands out in a very busy marketplace? 

Brazil is home to the largest Japanese population outside Japan and the history of Japanese immigration to Brazil is not widely known, even within the country. That’s a significant and fascinating history. Beyond that, the theme is universal, since immigration is, and always will be, part of human history. In a time of intolerance toward immigrants, it’s more important than ever to look at these movements with attention and empathy. Another important aspect for us is making sure we address significant topics in a way that is accessible to families and children. We believe that children can also be touched and engaged by subjects usually intended for adult audiences.

What do you love most about it? 

The thing I love the most is how charismatic both the grandson and the grandfather turned out. The dialog, the voices, the character design, their changing relationship … it always makes me smile. That’s the most rewarding thing for me in animation: when you succeed in giving real life and feelings to your characters. I just love watching them grow together throughout the movie.

What was the toughest aspect of producing it? 

Producing an animated feature film is always a major challenge, so it’s hard to pick just one aspect as the most difficult. Each stage came with its own set of obstacles, starting with the screenplay. Since the story of Japanese immigration includes harsh and sometimes violent episodes, we had to be very careful to find the right tone: making it family-friendly while still portraying the hardship faced by immigrants. Besides, as we were portraying the Japanese immigrant community, we didn’t want to fall into stereotypes, so we worked closely with a Japanese consultant who checked every detail, from script, Japanese acting on storyboard stage, and finally revising the soundtrack, making sure we would not have generic oriental tones or instruments. Then, when we chose paintings as our main visual inspiration, we had to translate that language into animation, making sure the expressive, brushstroke-filled backgrounds didn’t overpower the characters, who had a more delicate, subtle aesthetic. Finally, in post-production, we worked thoroughly on textures and lighting, always aiming for a rich visual experience.

What other projects is Pinguim working on these days? 

We’re currently working on the ninth season of our successful series Earth to Luna!, about a six-year-old girl who loves science. As Earth to Luna! just celebrated its tenth anniversary this year and continues being incredibly successful, in Brazil and internationally, we started developing a feature film about it. We already have a great story, and we’re currently looking for coproduction partners. Additionally, we’ve started production on a brand-new preschool series called Tuntum, about a little turtle who loves books and adventures through the forest.

What do you hope audiences will take away from your movie? 

Whether or not they come from immigrant families, we hope viewers around the world can relate to this story and reflect on their own family’s path. At a time when migration is so often met with suspicion or hostility, we believe the story of Hideo and Noboru can help highlight the beauty and cultural richness that emerge from these journeys.

For more info, visit pinguimcontent.wixsite.com.