Kensuke’s Kingdom was announced last week as one of four nominees for best children’s and family film at this year’s EE Bafta Film Awards.
The animated action and adventure film follows Michael, a young boy who is shipwrecked on a remote island.
He discovers he is not alone when he encounters a mysterious Japanese soldier called Kensuke, who has been marooned there since World War 2.
Dunedin-born director Kirk Hendry said he was "incredibly proud" of the entire team for receiving the nomination.
"Every film is a testament to perseverance and hard work, but this one — 20 years from script to screen — feels like an especially remarkable achievement."
The award-winning London-based film-maker had previously worked on the popular television series The Net (1995-97), did some animation for The Simpsons in 2014, and directed the award-winning animated film Junk in 2011.
He co-directed Kensuke’s Kingdom in 2023, which is based on the children’s novel of the same name by Sir Michael Morpurgo.
It has been showing in cinemas across the globe since the start of last year, and a special private screening was held in Dunedin last month.
The film also won three awards at last year’s British Animation Awards, including best feature film, and the animated feature grand prize at last year’s New York International Children’s Film Festival.
Kensuke’s Kingdom will compete against fellow children’s and family film award nominees Flow, The Wild Robot and Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.
The winners will be announced on February 16.
