A New Dawn, an animated film directed by Yoshitoshi Shinomiya, will hit cinemas in France on 12 August 2026. This 2D animated feature, a Japan–France co-production, follows a man determined to bring back to life a firework imagined by his late father.
A New Dawn
Animated feature | 2026
In cinemas: 12 August 2026
Animation, drama | Runtime: 1h16
From Yoshitoshi Shinomiya | Screenplay by Yoshitoshi Shinomiya
Original voice cast: Riku Hagiwara, Kotone Furukawa, Miyu Irino
Original title: A New Dawn
Countries: Japan, France
Distributor: ADN
The story centers on the Obinata family's fireworks factory, now threatened with an administrative shutdown. Once set in the heart of a forest, it is increasingly surrounded by solar panels, while a department road is set to pass right through the site.
For four years, Keitaro has been holed up in this abandoned factory, where he single-handedly crafts fireworks. He’s trying to crack the mystery of the shuhari, a phantom firework said to embody the universe, designed by his father just before he disappeared.
Before the factory is seized, Keitaro wants to pull off this fireworks display one last time. To make it happen, he enlists his brother Chicchi and his childhood friend Kaoru. The film thus explores family memory, the passing down of traditions, the loss of a place, and the tension between artisanal craft and the transformation of the landscape.
Yoshitoshi Shinomiya unveils his debut feature. The director has notably contributed to art direction and the staging of special sequences for Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name and Sunao Katabuchi’s In This Corner of the World. His artistic background blends animation, painting, sculpture, advertising, and traditional Japanese techniques.
A New Dawn is produced by Miyu Productions and Asmik Ace. The score is by Shuta Hasunuma, with Anna Tomizaki handling cinematography. The film is distributed in France by ADN.
This release is likely to appeal to viewers who appreciate contemporary Japanese animation, intimate storytelling, and family dramas rendered with striking visuals.
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