JEANNE’S REVIEW

Based on a true story, MY PENGUIN FRIEND is one of the most beautiful and compelling films in recent memory. Directed with immense patience and caring by David Schurmann from an extraordinary screenplay by Kristen Lazarian and Paulina Lagudi, Jean Reno stars as João Pereira De Souza, a Brazilian fisherman who rescues a lost little Magellanic penguin covered in a thick coat of oil.

Much to his wife, Maria’s (Adriana Barraza) chagrin, João prevails upon her to let the penguin stay a little longer so he can regain his strength. Named DinDim by a young girl in their village, the penguin makes himself at home wherever he goes.

Months later, early one morning DinDim decides it’s time to leave and return to Patagonia, where Magellanic penguins raise their families, some 3000 miles away. Once there, amongst hundreds of other penguins, he catches the attention of three researchers who tag him. Back in Brazil, João has resigned himself to the fact that he will never see DinDim again.

But to his surprise the following June, João is in his yard and suddenly hears DinDim’s familiar squeak. He has come home to his friend João and continues this journey for eight years total --- leaving Brazil in December and returning in June. It’s an amazing story of an inexplicable bond between a lonely man and a very grateful penguin.

Not an easy story to tell, MY PENGUIN FRIEND is handled with deft and a great deal of love by Schurmann and his crew. The decision was made to use real penguins, reserving CGI for only a few scenes. Ten penguins from Brazil’s Ubatuba Aquarium were utilized to create DinDIm, with one penguin, Maui, doing most of the work, though all of them shared the spotlight.

According to Schurmann, “Penguins only work until 3 p.m., that is in their contract.” Seriously, though, penguins are morning birds, so they are livelier earlier in the day. And all efforts were made to keep the birds safe --- and happy. When on set, everyone maintained silence so the penguins would not be disturbed or distracted. Apparently, they were very good at hitting their marks, which is hilarious.

And as wonderful as Maui and the others are in portraying DinDim, Reno deserves a great deal of the credit for MY PENGUIN FRIEND’s success. He is such a marvelous actor that he doesn’t require a lot of dialogue. So much of João’s emotions are conveyed through Reno’s actions.

He and Barraza are perfect together. They have one incredible scene with no words spoken between them, but their feelings are so palpable it left the theater audience in tears --- specifically me --- and David. Both Reno and Barraza have had tremendous careers, and both were thrilled to work with these very talented penguins, an experience like no other.

So much heart and dedication went into the making of MY PENGUIN FRIEND. Not only did Schurmann pull together a fantastic international cast, his crew is equally superb. British cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle has done a masterful job filming MY PENGUIN FRIEND. Not only is the cinematography stunning --- so many vistas to capture --- the decision to occasionally film from DinDim’s POV is simply brilliant.

Mercedes Alfonsin provides the important production designs and Teresa Font is responsible for the astonishing editing of over 160 hours of film. And lastly, composer Fernando Velasquez’s phenomenal original score adds another “character” to MY PENGUIN FRIEND. This is a production that screams to be seen on a movie theater screen, so take the entire family and be treated to a rather unique entertaining experience.

Opinion: Strong See It Now!

DAVID’S REVIEW

MY PENGUIN FRIEND recounts the remarkable tale of how a small act of kindness blossomed into a global phenomenon. And yet, if this saga was based on a fictional narrative, no one would believe it.

But the film is based on the true story of a Brazilian fisherman named João Pereira De Souza who came across a penguin stranded on a beach near Rio de Janeiro. It was over 13 years ago that this man, then 65 years old, could not leave this poor animal who was covered with oil and near starvation. João brought him home, painstakingly removed the oil from the bird’s body and nursed the little guy back from the brink. MY PENGUIN FRIEND chronicles how this unlikely duo became great friends.

At a time in their lives when joy had been stripped from their being, João and his initially reluctant wife, Maria, welcome DinDim into their home. Along comes this beautiful, wonderful animal waddling around to rejuvenate their spirit and give them more than a semblance of their humanity. Two great actors portray the long-married couple --- French legend Jean Reno and Mexican icon Adriana Barraza.

Naming the bird DinDim after a child’s mispronunciation of the Portuguese “pinguim”, the bird leaves one morning to rejoin his penguin mates, traveling back to Patagonia at the tip of Argentina, some 3000 miles to the south. However, as impossible as it sounds, DinDim returns to Brazil to João’s home, thus reuniting with his pal. This happens over the span of eight consecutive years and attracts TV crews and journalists.

Penguin behavior, as explained by zoologists, includes an internal global positioning system, i.e., GPS, that allows them to recall routes of great distance. Just like Jeanne, who I am convinced is a human GPS --- but I digress.

Behind every exceptional film is a great director. David Schurmann provided unwavering devotion to this project which resulted in MY PENGUIN FRIEND --- six years in the making --- being a magnificent testament to the best of human nature coupled with the innocence of nature’s creatures. Schurmann decided that a particularly memorable and emotional scene with João and Maria be shot with practically no dialogue because of the presence of Reno and Barraza in his movie.

Schurmann also wanted his audience to experience part of the story from the penguin’s perspective. To that end, for example, we see shots from inside DinDim’s cage from his point of view. Thus, we are his eyes and ears as he surveys his new surroundings.

A total of 10 Magellanic penguins --- so named after Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan discovered them over 500 years ago --- were used to make MY PENGUIN FRIEND. All the birds had been rescued previously and none were healthy enough to return to their natural habitat. They came from Brazil’s Ubatuba Aquarium. But all 10 were treated with the utmost respect and understanding by the film’s crew --- no bright lights and mostly silence on set.

It should be noted that primarily the real penguins were used to make this movie, which only occasionally required CGI or props. Giving the penguins their due, they included Big Z, Teodora, Madalena, Capitao, Rosita, Fafa, Homer, Amelia, and Alcione. And one more --- named Maui --- who excelled at the schooling from Fabian Gabelli, whom Schurmann calls “a penguin whisperer”. Maui also was the penguin who was most attached to Reno during the shoot.

The cast also includes rising young Colombian star Juan Jose Garnica in the moving role of João and Maria’s son, Miguel, and Argentine actors Alexia Moyano, Nicolas Francella, and Rocio Hernandez as Stephanie, Adriana, and Carlos, the marine biologists.

Of course, with any outstanding production, there are many talented people among the crew who deserve recognition. These include cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle and production designer Mercedes Alfonsin, plus Brazilian underwater DP Lucas Gaspar Pupo who captures the amazing swimming ability of these animals who, in the director’s words, “turn into Baryshnikov underwater”. A superb score is provided by composer Fernando Velasquez. Teresa Font of Spain, who worked with Pedro Almodóvar on PARALLEL MOTHERS, led the editing process that began with 160 hours of film. And the fine screenplay was written by Kristen Lazarian and Paulina Lagudi.

MY PENGUIN FRIEND has it all --- humor, pathos, tension --- truly one of the best movies of the year.

Opinion:  Strong See It Now!