Studio Ghibli sent Michael Dudok de Wit an email with two questions: if they could distribute his short film Father and Daughter (2000) in Japan, and if he would make a feature film for them. Dudok de Wit replied answering the first question and saying he did not understand the second, as he was baffled and could not believe it.
This is the first non-Japanese film to be produced by Studio Ghibli.
Only six animators from Studio Ghibli worked on this film.
Hayao Miyazaki saw Michael Dudok de Wit's short film Father and Daughter (2000) and wanted to make a feature film with him, making this request to Vincent Maraval, head of Wild Bunch.
Michael Dudok de Wit's directorial film debut.