By Atsuko Kitayama
TORONTO (Reuters) -Oscar-nominated Japanese director Mamoru Hosoda delivers a powerful message of forgiveness in his new animated film “Scarlet,” a Hamlet-inspired tale of vengeance fit for a world grappling with conflicts and instability.
“Scarlet” screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on Wednesday, following its world premiere earlier this month in Venice.
The film revolves around Princess Scarlet’s quest to avenge her father after he is killed by her uncle in a world where life and death coexist. As her journey unfolds, Scarlet faces questions about breaking free from the vicious cycle of hatred and finding life’s true purpose.
“I wondered how Hamlet would struggle, if the ghost asked him to forgive instead (of seeking revenge). That’s where the story found its direction,” Hosoda said through an interpreter during a Q&A following the North American premiere in Toronto.
“I can’t help but think about how humanity can break the cycle of revenge.”
In the film, some scenes are strikingly realistic and expansive, sometimes almost eerily so, thanks to Hosoda’s skill in blending traditional hand-drawn animation with computer graphics.
Still, he said finding the perfect visual expression to suit the story was challenging. “I kept searching for the best approach throughout production, but I still don’t know what the correct answer is,” he said.
Hosoda is best known internationally for his fantasy adventure anime “Mirai,” which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature in 2019. It was the first time a Japanese animation not produced by Studio Ghibli had received such recognition. Ghibli, co-founded by Hayao Miyazaki, has twice won the Oscar for “Spirited Away” and “The Boy and the Heron” in 2003 and 2024, respectively.
“Scarlet” will first release in Japan on November 21, before landing in North America on December 12.
(Reporting by Atsuko Kitayama, Editing by Caroline Stauffer and Patricia Reaney)
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