They coincide in their debut Two films with marine animals: “Lord of the Whales”filmed in Peninsula Valdes, and “My friend the penguin”filmed in Ilha Grande, Brazil. Attention: these are not children’s films. They talk about pain, resentment and the pettiness of human beings. Children can watch them, and it is even good for them to absorb things from life, but a prior warning is in order..
“The Lord of the Whales” It pits two typical characters from many towns against each other: the picturesque, half-mythomaniac who steals the show, and the serious but dark-souled man who wants to be noticed. Both know the whale-watching tourism business, but they see it in different ways. And that is not the only difference.
There is something else, quite brave, that we will find out about, and that is the underlying conflict. Unwittingly, a journalist stirs up the hornet’s nest. At the same time, while this is happening in the small world of men, there are whales nearby, enormous, majestic, in the immense sea. It is a pleasure to see them, and the camera of Mariano Cuneo pays them the honors they deserve.
Interpreters, Osvaldo Laport, Carlos Kaspar, Malena Soldain addition to Viviana Saez and Javier Goitybrother of the Puma. Director, Alex Tossenbergerwith good experience in Patagonian themes and exteriors (“Giants of Valdés”, “QTH”, “The Wolf’s Lair”).
“My friend the penguin” It has a different tone – and a few other differences in scenery and budget – but at the beginning it has a rather strong dramatic moment: the death of a child at sea, faced with the helplessness of his father. This event will mark the man and his wife for the rest of their lives. It will be an ever-open wound, and the child’s room will always be an unscathed sanctuary, until a penguin desecrates it a little.
The little animal had lost its way, oil had gotten on it during its wanderings, but it was rescued by the man, who took care of it and became fond of it. Once it was in good condition, he returned it to the sea. The curious thing, the funny thing, is that the penguin would return, again and again, to visit him. And in the village they even gave it a name, Dindim (penguin, in the half-language of a little neighbour).
A pleasant painting of a very rare and funny bird, and a good message about the healing virtue of caring for animals, this story is inspired by a real event that occurred years ago on the beach of Proveta, in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The death of the child and the mourning of the parents were added to give it dramatic force, but the truth is that it returned for eight seasons (good publicity for Brazilian beaches, it shows), and that the event was followed and studied by several experts.
In the movie, Nicolas Francella embodies one of those scholars. But the protagonists are Jean Reno, Adriana Barrazaand, as listed in the end credits, Maui, Big Z, Teodora, Madalena, Rosita, Capitao, Fafa, Homer, Amelia and Alcione, the ten Magellanic penguins who, without knowing it and without charging, represented Dindim from the film.
“Lord of the Whales” (Argentina, 2024); Dir.: Alex Tossenberger; Int.: Osvaldo Laport, Malena Solda, Carlos Kaspar.
“My Penguin Friend” (USA-Brazil, 2024); Dir.: David Schurmann; Int.: Jean Reno, Adriana Barraza, Pedro Urizzi, Amanda Magalhaes.
Source: Ambito
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
