After a grandmother’s death, orphaned siblings cross Fukushima’s forbidden zone to return her ashes home, embarking on an adventure that reshapes their understanding of family and belonging.
Orphaned in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster, Osamu and Akiko grow up together in a refugee camp, bound by an unbreakable bond. After their grandmother’s death, Osamu refuses to let her final wish fade away. He leads his sister on a daring journey into the forbidden zone, determined to lay her ashes to rest in their hometown of Tomioka. As they cross a wounded land slowly beginning to recover, danger lingers in the invisible traces of radiation, yet hope for renewal is equally present. Along the way, hunted yet unexpectedly helped, they encounter moments of kindness that guide them forward. Through this journey, the siblings redefine their understanding of family and belonging, finding hope where life is quietly beginning to return.
Director’s statement
“Back to Tomioka” is an animated feature film about a brother and sister crossing a contaminated exclusion zone to bring their grandmother’s ashes back to the family farm. What seems like an unreasonable decision becomes an act of love, disobedience, and a way of saying goodbye. Above all, the film is about the relationship between the siblings, who gradually learn to listen to and trust each other again during their journey. Traveling through abandoned towns and landscapes reclaimed by nature becomes both an emotional and adventurous experience - the children must improvise, avoid danger, and navigate a world without adults. The film was inspired by my experience of living near a nuclear power plant and by my stay in Tomioka in 2023. Visually, the project draws on a rough, tactile aesthetic of worn textures and decaying spaces, while Romain Humeau’s restrained score guides the audience through the children’s inner journey.
Country of production
France, Poland, Hungary, Belgium
Target audience
Tweens (9 to 12 years), teens (12 to 15 years), young adults (15 to 18 years)
Animation technique
Drawing
Production company
FoliascopeCo-production company
WJTeam (Poland)
Wrong Men (Belgium)
Cinemon entertainment (Hungary)
Estimated budget
€ 6 583 000
Funding secured
FRANCE: € 1 296 000 - Crédit d'Impot Cinéma € 1 200 000 - CHRUNCHYROLL € 60 000 - CNC – Aide ATA au test technique € 20 000 - CNC – Aide à la réécriture € 20 000 - Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma (Développement) € 200 000 - Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Cinéma (Production) € 15 000 - ALCA (Nouvelle-Aquitaine) developpement € 80 000 - Département Haute Savoie € 200 000 - KMBO € 1 620 000 - FOLIASCOPE POLAND: € 100 000 - WJTeam
Stage of the project
pre-production
Looking for
distributor, broadcaster, international sales, 2D animation studio, sound post-production studio
