Film Based on Japanese Actor’s Autobiography ‘Totto-chan’ Wins Award at French International Film Festival

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:35 JST, June 16, 2024

A film based on actor Tetsuko Kuroyanagi’s autobiography won a prize at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France on Saturday.

“Madogiwa no Totto-chan” (“Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window”) earned the Paul Grimault Award, the festival’s third-best prize in the feature category, following the Cristal for a Feature Film and the Jury Award. The Paul Grimault Award was also given to a Japanese film last year.

In her best-selling novel, 90-year-old Kuroyanagi recalls her childhood as she describes small pieces of happiness in her daily life, showing how important it is for children to cherish their distinctive personalities.

Directed by Shinnosuke Yakuwa, the film was released in December.