Film opens in N. America on January 20, opened in Japan last Saturday

IMDb began streaming the U.S. trailer for Michael Dudok de Wit and Studio Ghibli's animated film The Red Turtle (La Tortue rouge) on Wednesday.

Entertainment news website Deadline describes the film:

The dialogue-free picture centers on a man shipwrecked on a tropical island inhabited by turtles, crabs and birds. When he builds a wooden raft, he is confronted by the titular turtle. The story then follows the milestones in his life on the island which include meeting a woman and starting a family.

Sony Pictures Classics will screen The Red Turtle in North America starting on January 20, 2017.

The film opened in Japan last Saturday, September 17 with the title Red Turtle - Aru Shima no Monogatari (Red Turtle - A Certain Island's Story).

The Red Turtle is the latest work by award-winning Dutch animator and director Michael Dudok de Wit ("The Monk and the Fish," "Father & Daughter" animated shorts). Studio Ghibli co-produced the film with French film production and distribution company Wild Bunch (co-producers on The Secret World of Arrietty).

Director de Wit temporarily moved to Koganei in Tokyo (where Studio Ghibli is headquartered) to work on the film, completing the film's storyboards and the scenario in his time there, while Studio Ghibli director Isao Takahata checked them. Takahata also served as the "artistic producer" for the film. Pascale Ferran ( Bird People ) wrote the film's script.

The film screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May, and won the Special Jury Prize at the Un Certain Regard section of the festival. The film opened the 40th Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June.

The director's "Father & Daughter" short won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2001. The Red Turtle is de Wit's first feature film.

Thanks to Daniel Zelter for the news tip.