Cocoon: One Summer of Girlhood

Cocoon: One Summer of Girlhood (2025): In the last days of the Second World War, the US invaded Okinawa. The fighting was fierce, as US troops tried to capture the entirety of Japan’s southernmost island of Japan. A group of 200 Japanese high school girls, known as the Himeyuri Gakutotai (Lily Princess Student Corps), had been “volunteered” to help Japanese Army medical units in the island’s many caves. But as the chaos of the frontline fighting took over, the girls were dismissed and told to go home—a near-impossible task in the midst of a battlefield. Animation studio Sasayuri, founded and staffed by Studio Ghibli alumni, presents the beautiful and heartbreaking story of two schoolgirls, San and Mayu, as they struggle to survive through the final days of the war.

Parental discretion advised: this film includes depictions of death, violence, and attempted rape, as well as some images of blood; it is not recommended for younger viewers.

Watch the trailer here.

Welcome to Anime Fest at the Modern 2026! Presented on September 18–20, this film festival celebrates the Japanese anime genre with films that are visually stunning, richly imaginative, and poetic in their storytelling. View the full schedule, buy tickets, and learn more here.