Earlier this summer, The Red Turtle, a traditionally-animated silent feature that was a collaboration from French production house Why Not Productions and Studio Ghibli, made a real splash at the Cannes Film Festival. It then opened throughout France shortly afterwards and has garnered strong reviews.

Sony Classics will give the film its US release on January 20, 2017, which Exhibitor Relations revealed on its twitter yesterday…

Already in multiplexes throughout Europe, the animated film, THE RED TURTLE, will wash ashore in North America 1/20/17 from Sony Classics.

— Exhibitor Relations (@ERCboxoffice) July 13, 2016

It is not currently known if this will be a wide release, or a limited one. Some of Sony Classics’ releases have gotten released in over 1,000 theaters nationwide, while others got significantly smaller releases. Most Ghibli films settle for limited releases stateside, as do other smaller animated features like this one. It is possible that Sony Classics will give the picture a very limited Oscar-qualifying run before the year ends, so it can be eligible for an Oscar. Out of the non-mainstream animated films coming out this year, this one arguably has very high chances at getting into the race.

Do you think The Red Turtle will get a wide release in the US? Do you think it could be nominated for Best Animated Feature? Sound off below!

Edited by: Kelly Conley