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A heartwarming tale of friendship between a lost penguin and a lonely fisherman touches on themes of the transformational power of friendship and love and what it takes to move on. Jean Reno shines in his role as a curmudgeonly fisherman who finds new purpose through his bond with the penguin. A delightful, emotional journey, My Penguin Friend may be too slow and saccharine for some people, but is an uplifting animal movie for the whole family.

Themes of compassion, courage, universal love, and rare friendships are sewn into the creative fabric of My Penguin Friend. Think of it as a bird out of water tale: An adorable, lost penguin finds himself far away from home only to bond with a humble fisherman named Joao (Jean Reno of Ronin and Mission: Impossible). The two hit it off, but both must move on with their lives. In doing so, they may lose each other.

It’s been a few decades since last we saw Jean Reno playing a withdrawn curmudgeon protecting a pint-sized charge in “The Professional.” Now, with director David Schurmann’s “My Penguin Friend,” it’s a welcome return to a winning formula.

In the Brazilian filmmaker’s tender-hearted, all-ages adventure, Reno plays a grief-stricken father who gains a small, sweet companion after rescuing him from polluted waters. Inspired by the unshakeable bond between a real-life Brazilian fisherman and a Magellanic penguin thrown off his migration route, the French actor reveals new colors as a performer, shading the picture’s playful and poignant overtones with sensitivity and subtlety, making this a must-see for those who love uplifting stories about redemption, perseverance and empathy.

Reno plays João, whose journey began long before his penguin pal’s arrival, when his cozy, beachside home in Ilha Grande, Rio de Janeiro, was filled with love, music and laughter.

A sweeping family adventure, My Penguin Friend is a triumphant tale of friendship between a lonely father and the little lost penguin DinDim who recharges his spirit and heals his family with an unshakable, ocean-crossing loyalty.

Starring Jean Reno and Adriana Barraza, check out the sweet trailer now.

Humble fisherman João (Jean Reno) has turned away from the world in the wake of tragedy. But when he discovers a penguin drifting alone in the ocean, drenched in oil from a spill, his first instinct is to help. To his wife’s (Oscar nominee Adriana Barraza) dismay, he not only rescues the sea creature, but takes the flightless bird under his wing. For the first time in years João starts to feel joy, even if he cannot fathom just how unbreakable a bond is being formed. When the penguin suddenly disappears back into the immense wilds of the ocean, João believes...

Exclusive: Roadside Attractions has acquired U.S. distribution rights from City Hill Arts to the family adventure, The Penguin & The Fisherman, inspired by the incredible true story and viral sensation of João Perei de Souza (Jeno Reno) and a lost penguin who, after being rescued from an oil spill, transforms the life and soul of a heartbroken fisherman. Also starring Babel‘s Adriana Barraza, the film is set for a late summer/early fall wide release.

Lionsgate is aboard for Home Entertainment, with Fortitude International handling foreign sales.

When The Penguin & The Fisherman begins, De Souza has turned away from the world in the wake of tragedy. But when he discovers a penguin drifting alone in the ocean, drenched in oil from a spill, his first instinct is to help. To the dismay of his wife (Barraza) dismay, he not only rescues the sea creature, but takes the flightless bird under his wing.

Exclusive: Biotech entrepreneur Jonathan Lim’s recently launched production and financing entity City Hill Arts has unveiled the first still from The Penguin & The Fisherman — one of its first feature projects, starring 3x César Award nominee Jean Reno (Léon: The Professional), which has now wrapped production.

The film currently in post in Madrid is based on an incredible true story which went viral in 2016 — that of the lost and injured penguin, Din Dim, who finds love and family in another lost and wounded soul, João (Reno).

Related Story ‘Coup!’: Peter Sarsgaard Satire Wraps Production, Film Constellation Shares First Look — EFM Related Story Biotech Entrepreneur Jonathan Lim Launches City Hill Arts; Unveils Slate Of Projects With Stampede Ventures & More Related Story Jean Reno Joins 'Stranger Things' Star Noah Schnapp And Anjelica Huston In 'Waiting For Anya'

João is a Brazilian fisherman, guilt-ridden from a horrible tragedy which occurred as a young man,...

Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominated actress Adriana Barraza (“Blue Beetle”) has joined Jean Reno in the family film “The Penguin and the Fisherman,” TheWrap has exclusively learned.

“The Penguin and the Fisherman,” directed by David Schurmann, and co-written by Kristen Lazarain & Paulina Lagudi Ulrich and cinematography by Anthony Dod Mantle is based on the incredible true story of Joao Perei de Souza (Jean Reno), a Brazilian fisherman, who rescues a penguin (DinDim) covered in oil, near death and washed up on a remote island beach off of Brazil, far from his Patagonian home.

After DinDim returns to the wild, Joao is heartbroken — until a year later when DinDim returns. The story of their transcendent friendship and its impact on their little village is one for the ages.

Barraza joins Reno in the co-lead role playing Joao’s resolute wife Maria, who finds new love with her husband, through the spirit...

It's the Halloween season and Mail Order Monster is serving up a cool, kid appropriate Frankenstein-esque drama which feels like a wondrous mesh of E.T. and The Iron Giant on Digital November 6.

After witnessing her mother's death 3 years ago with her best friend Pj in the car, 12 year old Sam Pepper has never been able to move on. Her reclusive nature and nerd table membership leaves Sam an easy target for bullying. Trauma and puberty cause Sam and Pj to not only grow apart but become rivals.

Pj bullies Sam through ostracizing and humiliating her in front of their classmates. As Sam watches the school laugh at her through the slits of her locker, she realizes she's had enough. Sam orders the parts to build a "Monster" from a comic book ad, and is finally able to give Pj a taste of her own medicine.

Finally, her life's changing for the better.

"Sometimes friendship can't be explained." Film Mode Entertainment has debuted the first official trailer for a fun sci-fi indie comedy titled Mail Order Monster, which is the feature debut of producer-filmmaker Paulina Lagudi. The film is about a precocious young girl named Sam who is being bullied at school, and on top of that, her single father has just found a new girlfriend. To cope with her situation, she orders a a robot monster through the mail that promises to solve her problems. Hilarity ensues, and everyone learns some good lessons. Madison Horcher stars as Sam, and the cast includes Charisma Carpenter, Josh Hopkins, Emma Rayne Lyle, and Bill Billions. This looks like an amusing, good-for-all-ages fun time, and the robot monster looks so funky and goofy I can't help but smile whenever I see it. Check it out below. Here's the first official trailer for Paulina Lagudi's Mail Order Monster,...

Josh Hopkins (“Quantico”, “Cougar Town”) and Charisma Carpenter (“Angel”, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”) have joined the ranks of Mail Order Monster, per Deadline. The film is being directed by Paulina Lagudi, who co-wrote the film with Marc Prey, and will… Continue Reading →

The post Break Up a Potential Marriage With a Mail Order Monster appeared first on Dread Central.

A “Frankenstein”-inspired tale assembled with a heart. “Cougar Town” alum Josh Hopkins and “Angel’s” Charisma Carpenter and have come aboard the sci-fi family drama Mail Order Monster, from helmer Paulina Lagudi and Jax Productions, Deadline writes. The pic stars Madison Horcher ( The pic is interesting as it stars Madison Horcher (Best Friends Whenever) as 12-year-old Sam Pepper, who lost her […]...

Cougar Town alum Josh Hopkins and Angel‘s Charisma Carpenter have come aboard the sci-fi family drama Mail Order Monster, from helmer Paulina Lagudi and Jax Productions. The pic stars Madison Horcher (Adventures -n Babysitting) as 12-year-old Sam Pepper, who lost her mother in a car accident, and her reclusive, quirky nature makes her an easy target for bullying. Realizing she’d had enough, Sam orders the parts to build a “Monster” from a comic book ad, and is finally…...