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My Penguin Friend

  • 2024
  • PG
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
6.3K
YOUR RATING
Jean Reno and Duda Galvão in My Penguin Friend (2024)
Inspired by a true story; an enchanting adventure about a lost penguin rescued from an oil spill, who transforms the life of a heartbroken fisherman. They soon become unlikely friends, so bonded that even the vast ocean cannot divide them.
Play trailer2:25
6 Videos
50 Photos
Animal AdventureAdventureDramaFamily

Inspired by a true story; an enchanting adventure about a lost penguin rescued from an oil spill, who transforms the life of a heartbroken fisherman. They soon become unlikely friends, so bo... Read allInspired by a true story; an enchanting adventure about a lost penguin rescued from an oil spill, who transforms the life of a heartbroken fisherman. They soon become unlikely friends, so bonded that even the vast ocean cannot divide them.Inspired by a true story; an enchanting adventure about a lost penguin rescued from an oil spill, who transforms the life of a heartbroken fisherman. They soon become unlikely friends, so bonded that even the vast ocean cannot divide them.

  • Director
    • David Schurmann
  • Writers
    • Kristen Lazarian
    • Paulina Lagudi Ulrich
  • Stars
    • Jean Reno
    • Adriana Barraza
    • Alexia Moyano
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    6.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • David Schurmann
    • Writers
      • Kristen Lazarian
      • Paulina Lagudi Ulrich
    • Stars
      • Jean Reno
      • Adriana Barraza
      • Alexia Moyano
    • 42User reviews
    • 27Critic reviews
    • 70Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations total

    Videos6

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:25
    Official Trailer
    My Penguin Friend: What Is That?
    Clip 1:23
    My Penguin Friend: What Is That?
    My Penguin Friend: What Is That?
    Clip 1:23
    My Penguin Friend: What Is That?
    My Penguin Friend: DinDim Visits The Village
    Clip 1:29
    My Penguin Friend: DinDim Visits The Village
    My Penguin Friend: Hurry Up
    Clip 0:33
    My Penguin Friend: Hurry Up
    My Penguin Friend: Penguins POV (Featurette)
    Featurette 2:00
    My Penguin Friend: Penguins POV (Featurette)
    My Penguin Friend (Featurette)
    Featurette 3:16
    My Penguin Friend (Featurette)

    Photos50

    View Poster
    View Poster
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    + 45
    View Poster

    Top cast34

    Edit
    Jean Reno
    Jean Reno
    • João
    Adriana Barraza
    Adriana Barraza
    • Maria
    Alexia Moyano
    Alexia Moyano
    • Adriana
    Nicolás Francella
    Nicolás Francella
    • Carlos
    Rochi Hernández
    Rochi Hernández
    • Stephanie
    • (as Rocío Hernández)
    Pedro Urizzi
    Pedro Urizzi
    • Young João
    Amanda Magalhães
    • Young Maria
    Juan José Garnica
    • Miguel
    Duda Galvão
    Duda Galvão
    • Lucia
    Thalma de Freitas
    • Calista
    Beatriz Lima
    • Young Calista
    Ravel Cabral
    • Paulo
    Wilson Rabelo
    • Marcos
    Fernando Lufer
    • Young Marcos
    Roberto Borenstein
    • Luis
    Rafael Pimenta
    • Young Luis
    Maurício Xavier
    • Oscar
    Pedro Caetano
    Pedro Caetano
    • Young Oscar
    • Director
      • David Schurmann
    • Writers
      • Kristen Lazarian
      • Paulina Lagudi Ulrich
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews42

    6.86.2K
    1
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    10

    Featured reviews

    10luiscirilojr

    Extraordinary and memorable

    My Penguin Friend is an extraordinary film that beautifully portrays the heartwarming relationship between a man and a penguin. The movie excels with its breathtaking visuals and a deeply moving narrative that explores themes of love, kindness, and the profound connections we share with animals. The storytelling is engaging and heartfelt, making it a visual treat and an emotional journey. This film stands out as one of the most memorable and impactful movies I've ever seen, blending uniqueness with emotional depth into an unforgettable cinematic experience that resonates deeply with viewers. Truly beautiful.
    10kamekeisen

    Earnest, Heartfelt, and Absolutely Worth a Watch

    If this movie had a bigger marketing push, I don't doubt that it would be a hit as big as Life of Pi or We Bought a Zoo.

    The cinematography was beautiful, every scene full of life and detail. There's a lot of heart and pain on the screen, but it's very much a story of love and acceptance. Often, accepting the hard parts of life, like grief.

    The movie spans many years, so there's a depth to the feelings of each of the characters that develops beautifully on screen, and even though there is plenty unsaid, the movie clearly trusts the audience to gather the details for themselves.

    All said, I would love a penguin friend myself.
    9raek-32014

    So lovely!

    This was such a heartfelt and loving story. It is not your typical Hollywood movie but rather showed real emotion, the highs and lows and overall love that was shared between a man and a penguin. I loved that real penguins were used versus using CGI or animation that can sometimes make storytelling feel inauthentic and not natural. It really showcases how all walks of life crave human interaction. It was well documented and you could feel the connection through the screen. DinDim helped a man heal and find true meaning again. It was beautifully and wonderfully made and everyone should see it!!
    10elliesmithaes

    Heartwarming Story

    My Penguin Friend was truly a fantastic film. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it really touched my heart. I loved this story of friendship and how you can grow from tragedy. The fact that it was based on a true story made it that much more inspiring. The penguin, Dindim is so precious and made this film so special. Something about the bond between a man and a wild animal really captivates you as well as an entire community coming together to support their friendship. There is so much kindness in this film which is so refreshing. Beware this film will pull at your heartstrings but My Penguin Friend is truly a must see film!!
    9francotabone

    This movie would have been a hit if it had a higher budget

    I cried in this movie as it's so moving especially seeing what the Penguin had to go through to go to his beloved master who saved him.

    The movie is very similar to Hachi: A Dog's Tale with Richard Gere based on a true story.

    It's a moving movie and training a Penguin to do and play the best parts is not so easy. I can imagine the trainer how many hours they repeated the shots to get what was required to progress the movie.

    The movie lacked a strong direction and one time makes one feel angry when the penguinologist/ornithology sends a tv camera crew to interview João and then kidnap DinDim the beloved Penguin who was crossing doing the 5000 miles journey from Argentina to Brazil for 8 continuous years.

    Best Emmys Moments

    Best Emmys Moments
    Discover nominees and winners, red carpet looks, and more from the Emmys!

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    Related interests

    Ben Whishaw in Paddington (2014)
    Animal Adventure
    Still frame
    Adventure
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
    Family

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Ten rescue penguins from Ubatuba, Brazil, portrayed Dindim in the movie. Approximately 80% of the scenes feature real penguins. For the remaining 20%, where real penguins would face safety risks, CGI was used for 15% of the shots, while animatronics accounted for the final 5%.
    • Crazy credits
      All penguins are credited on the film

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    FAQ19

    • How long is My Penguin Friend?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 16, 2024 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Brazil
      • United States
      • Spain
    • Official site
      • Official Site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Mi Amigo El Pingüino
    • Filming locations
      • Ubatuba, São Paulo, Brazil
    • Production companies
      • City Hill Arts
      • Content Studios
      • Schurmann Filmes
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $9,704,200 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,769,460
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,033,435
      • Aug 18, 2024
    • Gross worldwide
      • $5,162,135
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 37m(97 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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