Turning Red

Turning Red is a 2022 American animated coming-of-age fantasy comedy-drama film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Domee Shi (in her feature directorial debut) and produced by Lindsey Collins, from a screenplay written by Shi and Julia Cho, and a story by Shi, Cho, and Sarah Streicher. The film marks the first Pixar feature film solely directed by a woman. It stars the voices of Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Hyein Park, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Orion Lee, Wai Ching Ho, Tristan Allerick Chen, and James Hong. Set in Toronto, Ontario in 2002, the film follows Meilin "Mei" Lee (Chiang), a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian student who transforms into a giant red panda when she experiences any strong emotion, due to a hereditary curse. Shi, who previously directed the short film Bao (2018), developed the film based on her experiences growing up in Toronto. She pitched three concepts, including Turning Red, to Pixar in October 2017. Development began in May 2018 when Shi was announced as writer and director of a full-length film; several Pixar animators visited locations around Northern California gathering inspiration and visual references. The design and animation were inspired by anime works. To capture these anime influences, hand-drawn 2D animated effects were added atop Pixar's 3D animation. Development on Turning Red lasted for four years, on an approximate $175 million budget, becoming the fastest production for a Pixar film. Ludwig Göransson composed the film's musical score for his first animated film, with Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell writing original songs for the film. Turning Red was first shown in London at Everyman Borough Yards on February 21, 2022, as a special screening, in Toronto at TIFF Bell Lightbox on March 8, and at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on March 1. Originally planned for a worldwide theatrical release, plans were changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film was released on March 11, 2022, on the Disney+ streaming service and was released theatrically in most countries without the streaming service, grossing over $21 million. It was paired with the short film Kitbull for its theatrical release in the United States and the United Kingdom on February 9, 2024. Turning Red received critical acclaim and was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 95th Academy Awards, among numerous other accolades.