By Randal C. Hill
“My Penguin Friend” tells the implausible but true story of a Brazilian fisherman named Joao (Jean Reno), who, while out on the ocean one day, rescues a Magellanic penguin floating and near death after being covered with oil from a nearby spill. Joao, who has been grieving from an earlier personal tragedy, decides to rescue the hapless fowl and take it home.
For a week, Joao gently cleanses the seabird, then sets up living quarters for it inside the house. Only then does he present the newest family member to his perplexed wife (Adriana Barraza). Dumbfounded upon seeing the bird, she asks her husband, “Why is a penguin in our home?” To which he offers the simplest of responses: “It needs our help.” As Joao nurtures the creature (who is named Dindim, a Portuguese word that means “ice pop”) back to health, the pair form a bond that helps the simple man ease his grief.
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But eventually Joao realizes that his time with Dindim is limited and that his friend—he’s not just a pet—must return to mate where he was born—5,000 miles away in Patagonia, a vast area at the southern end of South America. Joao has to teach the bird how to swim again, and he feels that his heart will be forever broken when Dindim swims swiftly away. To everyone’s surprise, though, the bird returns to Joao some months later, and the two become local celebrities.
“My Penguin Friend” is a story that encompasses the wonders of the ocean, the beauty of nature, and the transformative power of love. Filmed on the spectacular coasts of Brazil and Argentina by Brazilian filmmaker David Schurmann (“Little Secret”), the heartwarming tale unfolds with compassion in a screenplay deftly written by Kristen Lazarian and Paulina Ulrich.
Rated PG, “My Penguin Friend” from Roadside Attractions opens August 16 in a limited release across the country. It won’t play at your local multiplex, but hunting down this remarkable story will definitely be worth the effort.
