Studio Ponoc is an animation studio founded by former Studio Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura. “Ponoc” comes from the Croatian word ponoć meaning “midnight” or the beginning of a new day. The studio produced and released worldwide director Hiromasa Yonebayashi’s Mary and The Witch’s Flower in summer 2017 as its first animated feature film. In 2018, the studio created a new production label – “Ponoc Short Films Theatre” releasing Modest Heroes: Ponoc Short Films Theatre, Volume 1, the first group of short animated films from Studio Ponoc, a grand fantasy adventure, a moving human drama of love, and an action spectacle. The studio is also making a short film for the International Olympics Committee, inspired by the Olympic Values of “Respect, Excellence and Friendship”.