“My Penguin Friend” is a remarkable film.

It’s inspired by the true story about a 71-year-old Brazilian, João Pereira de Souza (Jean Reno), who rescued a South American Magellanic penguin injured in an oil spill.

The penguin bonds with the elderly man, depicted in the film as a fisherman. The penguin, named Dindim, swam 5,000 miles in the ocean every year from Patagonia in Argentina to Brazil to visit him. The penguin stayed for eight months with the man before swimming home.

The penguin is said to have repeated the swims to the man for eight years until, the film epilogue tells us, the penguin stopped.

Penguins are cute. Just look at the penguins in the animated feature film, “Madagascar” (2005); the cartoon character, “Chilly Willy” (1953-1972), and the animation dancing penguins with a real-life Dick Van Dyke in “Mary Poppins” (1964).

Penguins are fascinating. Just look at “March of the Penguins” (2005), the feature-length nature documentary.

Penguins can be hilarious. “Looks like a penguin,” the second Pepperpot (John Cleese) says on an episode of TV’s “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” (1969-1974).

“My Penguin Friend” is an extraordinary accomplishment. Ten rescue penguins from Brazil portrayed Dindim the penguin. In the movie, 80 percent of the penguins are real, 15 percent are CGI and 5 percent are animatronics.

“My Penguin Friend” was filmed in Ubatuba, São Paulo and Paraty, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Patagonia, Argentina.

“My Penguin Friend” is directed by David Schurmann (Director, “Little Secret,” 2016), working from a screenplay by Kristen Lazarian (Screenwriter, “Trust,” 2021) and Paulina Lagudi Ulrich (Screenwriter, “Mail Order Monster,” 2018).

Scenes are framed in muted tones, with naturalistic lighting and documentary-style realism by Anthony Dod Mantle (Oscar recipient, Cinematography, “Slumdog Millionaire,” 2009; Cinematographer, “The Last King of Scotland,” 2006; “28 Days Later,” 2002).

The camera angles are often up-close, revealing tear-filled eyes and grimaces of concern.

The landscapes and seascapes are beautiful.

The editing by Teresa Font (Editor, “Pain and Glory,” 2019; “Parallel Mothers,” 2021) is well-paced and gives the film a natural flow.

The soundtrack composed by Fernando Velázquez is appropriately uplifting.

Anchoring the film is a sensitive performance by a wizened, wise and sad-eyed Jean Reno (“Léon: The Professional,” 1994; “Ronin,” 1998; “Le Femme Nikita,” 1990) as João, the father whose pain is assuaged by the friendship of a feathered friend.

Notable in supporting roles are Adriana Barraza (Maria, João’s wife), Alexia Moyano (Adriana, a penguin researcher) and Nicolás Francella (Carlos, penguin researcher), Rochi Hernández (Stephanie, research assistant), Duda Galvão (Lucia) and Pedro Caetano (Oscar).

“My Penguin Friend” is a contemporary classic. Look for multiple Oscar nominations, including International Feature Film, Director (David Schurmann), Actor (Jean Reno) and Supporting Actress (Adriana Barraza).

If you are a fan of films about nature and the animal kingdom, you will want to befriend “My Penguin Friend.” Don’t miss it.

“My Penguin Friend,” MPAA rated PG (Parental Guidance Suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. Parents urged to give “parental guidance.” May contain some material parents might not like for their young children.) for thematic content; Genre: Drama, Family; Run Time: 1 hour, 37 minutes. Distributed by Roadside Attractions.

Credit Readers Anonymous: “My Penguin Friend” was filmed amidst a colony of nearly one million penguins in Patagonia. Filming wrapped in February 2023.

At The Movies: “My Penguin Friend” was seen in the standard format at AMC Center Valley 16.

Theatrical Movie Domestic Weekend Box Office, Aug. 30-Sept. 1: “Deadpool & Wolverine” continued at No. 1 for the Labor weekend, $15.4 million in 3,630 theaters, $599.8 million, six weeks.

2. “Alien: Romulus” stayed in place, $9.2 million in 3,120 theaters, $88.6 million, three weeks. 3. “Twisters” moved up three places, $7.7 million in 3,005 theaters, $258.6 million, seven weeks. 4. “Reagan,” the biography film about President Ronald Reagan, $7.6 million, opening, in 2,754 theaters. 5. “It Ends with Us” dropped two places, $7.4 million in 3,551 theaters, $133.7 million, four weeks. 6. “Blink Twice” dropped two places, $4.8 million in 3,067 theaters, $15.4 million, two weeks. 7. ”The Forge,” $4.6 million in 1,921 theaters, $14.3 million, two weeks. 8. “Despicable Me 4” moved up one place, $4.1 million in 2,698 theaters, $358.1 million, nine weeks. 9. “AfAID,” about A1 run amok, $3.6 million, opening, in 3,003 theaters. 10. “Coraline: 15th Anniversary,” $3.1 million in 1,211 theaters, $29.3 million, five weeks.

Movie box office information from Box Office Mojo as of Sept. 1 is subject to change.

Unreel, Sept. 6:

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” PG-13: Tim Burton is back to direct Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci and Danny DeVito in the Comedy, Horror, Fantasy film. The Deetz family returns to Winter River. It’s a sequel to the original 1988 movie.

“The Cowboy and the Queen,” No MPAA rating: Andrea Blaugrund Nevins directs the documentary film about Queen Elizabeth II and horse trainer Monty Roberts, who used gentle methods to deal with horses.

Movie opening dates from Internet Movie Database as of Sept. 1 are subject to change.

Five Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes