TURNING Red is a trailblazer. This is the latest animation from Toy Story and Incredibles producers Pixar. What a delight.

Not only is Turning Red the first feature from the studio to come solely directed by a woman but it marks the first time a Disney film has tackled menstruation as a major directive. Consider the last great taboo of family cinema well and truly smashed.

Only, here is yet one more Pixar film that won’t actually reach cinemas. Much like Soul and Luca before it, Turning Red will debut exclusively on Disney Plus.

The reason given is, of course, the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s an argument that doesn’t quite stack up.

Certainly, such fears didn’t hold the House of Mouse back from releasing Encanto in cinemas last December.

It’s a pity that the film’s digitisation may limit its reach. Turning Red is a brave and beautiful feature from a director well and truly on the up.

Long time Pixar story-boarder Domee Shi hit gold when her 2018 short Bao claimed an Oscar. Turning Red is Shi’s first stab at feature length filmmaking but the diversity of her vision all but confirms that it will not be her last.

The film is set in the early noughties.

Mei Lee (newcomer Rosalie Chiang) is a 13 year old, growing up in Toronto. Chinese by heritage, Mei divides her time between living her best life as a Canadian teenager and respecting her familial traditions, upheld by mother Ming (Sandra Oh).

When emotions get the better of Mei, on an otherwise entirely ordinary day, her immediate transformation into a giant red panda comes as a shock. You see the analogy yet?

As it transpires, Mei’s ancestors have long since enjoyed a special relationship with giant pandas, by virtue of a family curse. When she is excited or stressed, Mei will transform.

On calming, she can return to her own body. Keeping one’s cool is hard enough in any case but to do so as puberty hits? Mei’s teenage years present a bumpy ride.

It will come as no surprise to Pixar devotees that Turning Red is a visually sumptuous experience.

The attention to detail beggars belief and will reward a dozen or more repeat viewings. The cast are superb and no heart-string is left un-tugged.

Mothers and daughters especially will love it.