Selected by Madeleine Hiller, Visitor Experience Associate.

“A film reminiscent of a warm blanket on a cold night, Ernest & Celestine is a movie welcoming to all. The heartwarming story and beautiful watercolor-esque hand -drawn animation are what brought this film to mind as a perfect Family Matinees choice.”

A young mouse finds unexpected friendship with a bear in this charming animated feature based on the illustrated children’s book series by Belgium’s Gabrielle Vincent. When the orphaned Celestine ventures out from the underground rodent world, she ends up embarking on a life of crime with the starving Ernest, and the disapproval of society and the law only brings them closer together. The original French- language version was nominated for an Animated Feature Film Oscar; we are screening the English-language dubbed version with a stellar voice cast including Forest Whitaker and Mackenzie Foy in the title roles, plus Lauren Bacall, Paul Giamatti, William H. Macy, and Jeffrey Wright.

DIRECTED BY: Benjamin Renner, Vincent Patar, Stéphane Aubier. WRITTEN BY: Daniel Pennac. WITH: Forest Whitaker, Mackenzie Foy, Lauren Bacall, Paul Giamatti. 2012. 80 min. France/Belgium/Luxembourg. Color. English dubbed. Rated PG; suitable for ages 6+. DCP.

Academy Museum film programming generously funded by the Richard Roth Foundation. 

Theater accessibility accommodations available upon request. Learn more about our accessibility initiatives.