March of the Penguins (2005) La marche de l'empereur (original title)

Director:

Luc Jacquet

Writers (WGA):

Luc Jacquet (scenario)
Luc Jacquet (adaptation) ...
(more)

Release Date:

22 July 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary

Tagline:

In the harshest place on Earth, love finds a way

Plot:

A look at the annual journey of Emperor penguins as they march -- single file -- to their traditional breeding ground.

Plot Keywords:

Journey | Penguin | Ocean | Egg | Chick

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 15 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Charles Berling	...	Le père (voice)
Romane Bohringer	...	La mère (voice)
Jules Sitruk	...	Le bébé (voice)
Morgan Freeman	...	Narrator (voice: English version)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Amitabh Bachchan	...	Narrator (voice: Indian version)
Gösta Ekman	...	Narrator (voice: Swedish version)
Fiorello	...	Narrator (voice: Italian version)
Sofie Gråbøl	...	Narrator (voice: Danish version)
Hikari Ishida	...	Haha-Penguin (voice: Japanese version)
Ryûnosuke Kamiki	...	Ko-Penguin (voice: Japanese version)
Marek Kondrat	...	Narrator (voice: Polish version)
Takao Osawa	...	Chichi-Penguin (voice: Japanese version)

Directed by
Luc Jacquet

Writing credits (WGA)
Luc Jacquet		(scenario)
Luc Jacquet		(adaptation) &
Michel Fessler		(adaptation)
Jordan Roberts		(narration: US edited version)

Produced by
Jean-Christophe Barret	....	co-producer
Yves Darondeau	....	producer
Ilann Girard	....	executive producer
Christophe Lioud	....	producer
Emmanuel Priou	....	producer

Original Music by
Émilie Simon
Alex Wurman		(US version)

Cinematography by
Laurent Chalet
Jérôme Maison

Film Editing by
Sabine Emiliani

Production Management
Jean-Christophe Barret	....	post-production supervisor
Daniel Longuein	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jérôme Maison	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Willy Allen	....	adr supervisor: USA version
Kevin E. Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Kevin Carpenter)
Pascal Dedeye	....	foley artist
André Dias	....	dubbing editor
Eric Ferret	....	additional sound recordist (as Éric Ferret)
Scott A. Jennings	....	supervising sound editor: US version
Gérard Lamps	....	sound re-recording mixer
Armelle Mahé	....	foley recordist
Steve Pederson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Laurent Quaglio	....	sound designer

Visual Effects by
Catherine Athon	....	head of digital post-production
Odile Beraud	....	scan and shoot (as Odile Béraud)
Benjamin Clément	....	2k operator
Gisèle Courcoux	....	scan and shoot
Arnaud Damez	....	computer designer
Fabien Eigen	....	scan and shoot
Émilie Feret	....	digital special effects coordinator
Thierry Flament	....	computer designer
Sebastien Gombeaud-Saintonge	....	Flame artist: Eclair lab
Sebastien Gombeaud-Saintonge	....	computer designer
Sébastien Guyot	....	scan and shoot (as Sebastien Guyot)
Luc Guénard	....	calibration
Laurent Jentot	....	computer designer
Christophe Keichinger	....	scan and shoot
Robert Kfoury	....	scan and shoot
Marc Latil	....	visual artist
Benjamin Massoubre	....	2k operator
Joyce Menger	....	head of digital special effects
David Montoya	....	scan and shoot
Frederic Moreau	....	head of digital special effects (as Frédéric Moreau)
Stéphane Praux	....	2K exploitation
Laetitia Roure	....	digital grading post-production coordinator
Gérard Soirant	....	scan and shoot (as Gerard Soirant)
Georges Tornero	....	digital artist
Karim Touzene	....	computer designer

Camera and Electrical Department
François de Riberolles	....	submarine cinematographer
Éric Leclerc	....	aerial photographer
Jérôme Maison	....	still photographer
Patrick Marchand	....	submarine cinematographer

Editorial Department
Nicolas Criqui	....	digital conformation
Valentine Duley	....	assistant editor
Mickael Dumontier	....	digital conformation
Brice Ferre	....	assistant editor
Élodie Ichter	....	digital intermediate editor
Jean-René Nébot	....	digital color timer
Philippe Reinaudo	....	digital intermediate technical director
Keith Shaw	....	colorist: mastering
Wilson Stiner	....	post-production assistant
Emmanuelle Zelez	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Tom Calderaro	....	orchestrator (US version)
Rose Corrigan	....	musician: bassoon (US version)
Veronique Hassid	....	music legal services
Samuel Lehmer	....	score mixer (as Sam Lehmer)
Samuel Lehmer	....	score recording engineer (as Sam Lehmer)
Larry Mah	....	score recording engineer
Laura McLean	....	assistant to composer (US version)
Jeffrey Schindler	....	conductor (US version) (as Jeff Schindler)
Ellen Segal	....	music editor
Fred Selden	....	musician: flute solos (US version) (as Fred Seldon)
Émilie Simon	....	music producer
Émilie Simon	....	musician
Alan Steinberger	....	musician: piano (US version)
Alex Wurman	....	music score producer (US version)

Other crew
Christophe Barbraud	....	scientific advisor
Jean-François Camilleri	....	local distributor
Martine Cardet	....	accountant
Olivier Chiavassa	....	head of production
Debbi Datz-Pyle	....	contractor (US version) (as Debbi Datz Pyle)
Göran Ehlmé	....	archive source (as Goran Elhme)
Matthieu Guenoux	....	trainee production assistant
Amandine Henrion	....	production team
Kali Ligertwood	....	production team
Catherine Marconnet	....	production team
Christian Palacin	....	aerial shot
Bruno Patin	....	film grading
Philippe Reinaudo	....	technical supervisor: Cinenum

Thanks
Alain Boutillot	....	special thanks
Patrice Godon	....	special thanks
Gérard Jugie	....	special thanks
Michel Munoz	....	special thanks
Sophie Parrault	....	special thanks
Delphine Tual	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Bonne Pioche
• Alliance de Production Cinematographique (APC) (co-production)
• Buena Vista International Film Production France (with the participation of)
• Canal+ (with the participation of)
• L'Institut Polare Français Paul-Émile Victor (in association with)
• Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) (US version)

Distributors

• Buena Vista International (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2010) (France) (DVD) (blu-ray)
• Alfa Films (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Christal Films (2005) (Canada) (theatrical) (Quebec)
• Cinema Mondo (2005) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Festive Films (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• GAGA (2005) (Japan) (theatrical) (subtitled and dubbed)
• Intersonic (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Maple Pictures (2005) (Canada) (theatrical)
• National Geographic Films (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed) (edited) (as National Geographic Feature Films)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Unitel Pictures (2006) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed) (edited)
• Artist Film (2005) (Japan) (DVD)
• GAGA (2007) (Japan) (DVD) (blu-ray)
• Gateno Films (2006) (Peru) (all media)
• ION Television (2009) (USA) (TV)
• Maple Pictures (2005) (Canada) (DVD)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (209) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Pro Films (2006) (Bulgaria) (all media)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Bangladesh) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Bhutan) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (India) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Nepal) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Pakistan) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Sri Lanka) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Aaton  camera preparation
• BBC Motion Gallery  archive footage
• Ciné Lumières de Paris  lighting (as Cinelumiere)
• Cinécam  cameras (as Cinecam)
• Cinéstéréo  optical transfer (as Cinestereo)
• Clavicorde  sound editing
• DCA Audiovisual  sound equipment (as DCA)
• Dovidis  mixing studios
• Les Auditoriums de Joinville  foley recording
• Milan Records  soundtrack (US version)
• Orchestre Piu Moso  orchestra
• The French Overseas Territories  shot on location in Terre Adé'lie with the permission of
• Videostreams  music editorial services (US version)
• Éclair Numérique  digital laboratory

Also Known As:

"La marche de l'empereur" - France (original title)
"The Emperor's Journey" - International (English title)

Runtime:

USA:80 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Switzerland:0 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | France:U | UK:U | Singapore:G | Hong Kong:I | Ireland:G | Taiwan:GP | Czech Republic:U | Germany:o.Al. | Finland:S | Switzerland:6 (canton of Zurich) | Australia:G | Norway:7 | USA:G (No. 41769) | Brazil:Livre | Canada:G (all jurisdictions) | Denmark:A | Sweden:7 | Argentina:Atp | Malaysia:U | Philippines:G (MTRCB) | Iceland:L | South Korea:All | New Zealand:G | Portugal:M/6

Filming Locations:

Terre Adélie, Antarctica

Company:

Bonne Pioche

Trivia:

The Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) is the tallest and heaviest of all living penguins and the only one to breed during the winter in Antarctica.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator:[narrating voice over] There are few places hard to get to in this world. But there aren't any where it's harder to live.

Movie Connections:

Edited into "Phénomania: La marche de l'empereur" (2005)

A Story of Survival

The March of the Penguins is a powerful film. It is sad, funny, and simply amazing at the same time. It teaches us that life is a miracle. For the emperor penguins life is an everyday struggle to survive against predators, storms, and raging winds in the harshest weather conditions on earth. The documentary, filmed on location in Antarctica, shows the birds' struggle to eat, live, and reproduce. Each year the birds walk over seventy miles across ice and snow to their breeding ground. There the penguins mate, then conceal their eggs from the cold under a fold of their skin and balancing the precious new life to be born on their claws. Fathers take turns in caring for the eggs until they hatch, while mothers walk long miles again to bring home food for the chicks. Once the chicks are born, the parents work together to feed, shelter, and raise them. French director Luc Jacquet was a scientist before he became a filmmaker. He succeeded in making the story dramatic, compelling, and comprehensible to younger viewers. The film is skillfully narrated by Morgan Freeman. It is a definite MUST SEE.