Ernest & Celestine (2012)

Ernest & Celestine (2012) is a gently whimsical, family-friendly animated adventure about an unlikely friendship that upends two very different worlds. Set in a charmingly drawn universe where big, warm-hearted bears live above ground and clever little rodents live below, the film follows Celestine, a young mouse apprentice dentist, and Ernest, a down-on-his-luck street bear musician. Their chance meeting blossoms into a tender, funny, and courageous friendship that gets them shunned by both societies and forces them to choose between safety and staying true to one another. Watching the film you’ll be swept up by its delicate hand-drawn, watercolor-like animation and quiet, evocative soundtrack — a visual and auditory experience that feels like stepping into a storybook. The tone balances gentle humor and playful mischief with touching, sometimes bittersweet moments, so the movie makes you laugh, warms your heart, and can bring a lump to your throat. The story moves at an unhurried pace, letting small gestures and character details build real emotional depth. At its core, Ernest & Celestine is about friendship, creativity, and standing up to prejudice. It’s both entertaining for children and resonant for adults, offering social commentary delivered with warmth rather than sermonizing. Viewers will come away charmed by the characters, delighted by the artful animation, and moved by a simple, brave celebration of love and acceptance.

Actors: Lambert Wilson, Pauline Brunner, Anne-Marie Loop

Directors: Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar, Benjamin Renner

Runtime: 80 min

Genres: Adventure, Animation, Comedy

7.5 /10 86 /100 7.8 /10 8.0 /10