La marche de l'empereur (2005)

Director:

Luc Jacquet

Writers (WGA):

Jordan Roberts (US narration)
Luc Jacquet (earlier screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

22 July 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | Family

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:

Penguin | Ice | Egg | Fish | Wildlife

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 11 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Charles Berling	...	Narrator - Penguin Father (voice: French version)
Romane Bohringer	...	Narrator - Penguin Mother (voice: French version)
Jules Sitruk	...	Narrator - Penguin Baby (voice: French version)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Amitabh Bachchan	...	Narrator (voice)
Gösta Ekman	...	Narrator (voice: Swedish version)
Fiorello	...	Narrator (voice: Italian version)
Morgan Freeman	...	Narrator (voice: English version)
Sofie Gråbøl	...	Narrator (voice: Danish version)
Hikari Ishida	...	Haha-Penguin (voice: Japanese version)
Ryûnosuke Kamiki	...	Ko-Penguin (voice: Japanese version)
Takao Ôsawa	...	Chichi-Penguin (voice: Japanese version)

Directed by
Luc Jacquet

Writing credits (WGA)
Jordan Roberts		(US narration)
Luc Jacquet		(earlier screenplay) &
Michel Fessler		(earlier screenplay)
Luc Jacquet		(story)

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

Original Music by
Emilie 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
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
Luc Guénard	....	calibration
Sébastien Guyot	....	scan and shoot (as Sebastien Guyot)
Élodie Ichter	....	Lustre assistant
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
Jean-René Nébot	....	digital color timer
Philippe Reinaudo	....	digital intermediate technical director
Wilson Stiner	....	post-production assistant
Emmanuelle Zelez	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Tom Calderaro	....	orchestrator (US version)
Rose Corrigan	....	musician: bassoon (US version)
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)
Emilie Simon	....	music producer
Emilie 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
• APC (co-production)
• Buena Vista International Film Production France (participation)
• Wild Bunch (in association with)
• Canal+ (participation)
• L'Institut Polare Français Paul-Émile Victor (in collaboration with)
• National Geographic Films

Distributors

• Wild Bunch (2005) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• Alfa Films (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2005) (France) (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)
• 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)
• Gateno Films (2006) (Peru) (all media)
• ION Television (2009) (USA) (TV)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (209) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Pro Films (2006) (Bulgaria) (all media)

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:

March of the Penguins (UK) (USA)
The Emperor's Journey (International: English title)

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

France

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

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 | Switzerland:0 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | France:U | UK:U | Singapore:G

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)

Remarkable

This is perhaps the most amazing animal documentary ever. The footage was gathered in what truly must be "the harshest place on earth". It is barren, cold beyond cold and then there is the endless night of winter. The underwater footage was my favorite, but every single frame is magnificent. I can't wait for the DVD, so I can see how the filmmakers did this.

The narration is less objective than it is romantic - making it less a true documentary than a story, but that is fine in this case, and Morgan Freeman does a great job. You really should make the effort to see this on the big screen - it is absolutely stunning!