MY PENGUIN FRIEND

Brazil/US, 2024, 97 minutes, Colour.

Jean Reno, Adriana Barraza, Alexia Moyano, Pedro Urizzi, Duda Galvao, Thelma de Freitas.

Directed by David Schurmann.

My Penguin Friend is based on a true story, a story of a migrating penguin, from Patagonia to an island off the coast of Brazil. There are clips of the actual penguin and friend during the final credits.

This is a Brazilian film, it has an international cast, the French Jean Reno, the Mexican Adriana Barazza, and the dialogue is all in English – making it accessible worldwide in the English-speaking world.

The opening credits include a camera tracking over much of the world, narrowing down to Brazil and the island. We have glimpses of life on the island, youngsters at school, a working family, a very cheerful little boy celebrating his birthday and putting pressure on his father to take him out rowing to sea. However, a huge storm and tragedy.

The scenario moves forward several decades, the father, Jean Reno, still grieving, isolated from the other members of the village, managed by his rather stoic wife, Maria, Adriana Barraza.

It all changes when we go to Patagonia, see the colony of penguins, their taking off for migration, an oil slick, and the father finding the bereft penguin, washing, cleaning it, caring for it, his wife in the meantime rather impatient, but eventually the penguin finding a home on the island, making its own barrow, a little girl finding a name for it, Dimdin. Audiences will enjoy this sentiment, and the fact that Dimdin makes this annual journey eight times.

There is a subplot about scientists studying penguins, migration, hoping for grants for their work. In the meantime, the father has reluctantly allowed himself to be interviewed and the program with him and Dimdin goes viral. The scientific team identify the penguin when it comes to Patagonia and are interested in furthering research.

Audiences generally like penguins very much. And this penguin and the film are very likeable.

1. Audience liking for and response to penguins?
2. The opening credits, the maps, tracing over the maps, arriving on the island off Brazil, travel to Patagonia? Brazil, the town, the beaches? Patagonia, the isolation? The musical score?
3. The penguins, 80% real, 15% CGI, 5% and Medtronics?
4. The opening story, Miguel and Kalista, the happy boy, the bond, the birthday gift, scenes at home, his parents, love, the birthday, with his father, the impending storm, the boy’s insistence, their rowing out, the storm, the anchor, the boat overturned, the boy drowned, the father trying to rescue, grieving? The consequences for later and the rescuing of the penguin?
5. The present, Joao, at odds with the other people in the village, at home, Maria, the relationship, the grief? Kalista and her daughter?
6. The scenes of the penguins, the commentary, and migration? The penguin and the oil slick, on the Brazilian coast, rescued by Joao? Loving care, the details, washing, the clothing, the exasperation of Maria and her cleaning up after, the time passing, the bonding? The people of the town, Lucia and her naming the penguin, Dindim?
7. The response of people to Dimdin, becoming part of their life? At home in the house, the borrower, the time for leaving? The return to Patagonia?
8. Eight years, Dimdin coming back, part of the life of the town? Joao and the interview with Paolo, the discussions about the interview, changing his mind, the interview going viral, known around the world?
9. The subplot of the researchers, their work in Patagonia, identifying the penguins, studying the migration, Adriana, Carlos and his scepticism, Stephanie, the different attitudes? Contact with universities, the possibility of a grant? The visit, identifying Dimdin, keeping tabs? Plan to keep Dimdin, for the University, in the vein, letting Dimdin escape?
10. The town, everybody anxious, Dimdinn not returning? Joao and going out to search, the false alarm, finding Dimdin, the happiness and reconciliation in the town?
11. A pleasing film for family audiences? Based on a true story – and the final credits and the video clips of the real Joao and Dimdin?