“Traditions can easily be lost”: Yoshitoshi Shinomiya on A New Dawn at Berlin Film Festival 2026

Yoshitoshi Shinomiya, acclaimed for his work on Your Name and In This Corner of the World, made his directorial debut at the Berlin Film Festival 2026 with the animated feature A New Dawn. The celebrated artist, rooted in traditional Japanese painting, shares the deeply personal inspiration behind his film. He explains how witnessing the destruction of his hometown’s coastal traditions made him realise that traditions can easily be lost, prompting his exploration of environmental change and urban development’s impact on traditional landscapes. Shinomiya’s feature serves as a poignant reflection on the preservation of heritage and community in the face of relentless progress and globalisation.