Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4119 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-12-08
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 90 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
A fresh and quite beautiful film, The Fox And The Child feels old-fashioned in a good way, mixing as it does a nature documentary with the story of a young girl who makes friends, and tries to tame, a fox. It doesn’t do this in an irresponsible way, either, remembering to raise one or two alarm bells as it takes us on its fascinating journey.

The Fox And The Child is also, it should be noted, the new film from Luc Jacquet, who previously achieved major international success with March of the Penguins. It’s blessed with similarly stunning photography, too, with very little spoken word save for Kate Winslet’s narration, allowing the outstanding visuals to take centre stage. Filmed in France, the camera soaks up the wonderful mountain landscape, and Jacquet allows it to linger and take in its majesty.

It’s also a very patient and deliberately paced film, and that means that The Fox And The Child is inevitably suited to youngsters whose attention span does waiver within a matter of minutes. But it’s genuinely an adventure that the entire family can enjoy, and Jacquet ensures that it’s never less than engaging. Warmly recommended. --Jon Foster

Synopsis
THE FOX AND THE CHILD is a charming 'nature-tale' from the award-winning writer/director of MARCH OF THE PENGUINS, Luc Jacquet. The film follows a young girl's secret endeavours to tame a wild fox, and her resulting experiences in the stunning mountain wilderness of Eastern France. It soon becomes evident, however, that this is not a mere 'kid befriends cute critter' narrative, as the film adopts a cautionary tone about our relationship with animals and our somewhat misguided understanding of them.

Part children's adventure story, part wildlife documentary, THE FOX AND THE CHILD makes use of Jacquet's now trademark photography, basking in the simple beauty of nature - a spectacle which is only heightened by the almost entire absence of dialogue. Kate Winslet narrates this English language version as the nostalgic voice of the now adult child recounting the story to her own son, turning the film into an enchanting fable to be passed down through the generations. A guaranteed future classic, with enough heart and sophistication to be enjoyed by the whole family.

Customer Reviews

Magical filmmaking
Watching this movies was like walking into a dream world of nature at its most beautiful. The seasons unfold one after another with magnificent intensity as a lovely 10 year old girl seeks friendship with a wisely wary fox. I was amazed by the incredible patience that she displayed as she wooed the fox, day after day, in the hope that she could connect with him, and is rewarded with a genuine friendship, with film footage that astounded me on every level. Yes, the fox is very cute, but the sensitivity with which this movie was filmed takes the story to a whole new level. I won't go into the story, as I wouldn't want to ruin if for you, but I can't imagine anyone watching this film and feeling a moments boredom or disappointment. I think that it is about time I spent some time sitting quietly in the woods. Perhaps, after watching this, you will feel the same way too.

Brilliant
At last, a film for young girls that isn't about boys, falling in love, getting rescued by princes and getting married! It's good, wholesome entertainment, with beautiful cinematography and educational too. They can learn about nature, seasons, wildlife and patience, with a little bit of action thrown in. Ideal for my 5 and 3 year old girls alike, which is also a rarity. My daughter cried when it finished, because she didn't want it to end! It's delightful, an absolute must.

It's magic....but you need the eyes of a child to see it.
This film actually came out in 2007 but only had a limited cinema release in the UK. It comes from the creators of the much acclaimed 'March of the Penguins' and is directed by Luc Jacquet. This is a French creation, narrated in english by the only headline artist many non-francofones will recognise - Kate Winslet. I had seen a press advert for the film when it was out in cinemas in the UK, but then forgot about it and so missed it on the big screen and that was a huge mistake for reason's I'll explain later on.

OK...one big tip when watching this film for the first time so as not to spoil your enjoyment of it. You have to kind of leave your adult mind, values and responsibilities behind and try and view this film with the eyes and innocence of a child. Otherwise, you might start pulling your hair out in frustration mainly aimed at the child's parents, who we never actually get to see in the film. I found myself at times shaking my head is disbelief that there could exist such parents that would let their child wander off alone for seemingly days on end in deep mountain forests full of precarious ravines with frothing rivers, dark caverns and wild animals. More than that you really want to press charges for child neglect at them when it appears this poor young girl posesses just the one outffit which she wears more or less for the full duration of the movie, which spans the course of a year. But the film is not about the story of a family or even of the little girl. It's about trust and friendship and through experiencing the highs and lows that friendship brings...it is in the end about learning the difference between love and posession.

So...having put aside your adult mind and all the cynical baggage that comes with it, you can start to be taken on a pure adventure, experienced through the eyes of a child...and the magic begins. The friendship at the heart of this movie is that struck up by the little girl and a Fox, whom she first encounters on her way home from school one evening walking through the forest (In know, I know...what about those irresponsible parents blah blah. We've put adult mind to bed now, haven't we?). The child becomes fascinated by her encounter with the Fox and is determined to tame it and befriend it. What follows is the gentle story of how both had to learn to trust and become familiar with each other when all their natural instincts have taught them that each must always eye the other with suspicion and fear. Having gained the trust of the Fox, the child is finally led to learn one of the biggest lessons of her young life when she discovers how easily friendship and trust can be broken, no matter how innocently. Now stop your balling - you are not going to experience a 'Bambi's mother death' scenario. Well...not quite.

It's a slow paced film, charmingly acted by young Bertille Noel-Brunneau who is for 99.5% of the film the only human protagonist. All the rest is nature and an amazing cast of real animals. The real beauty of this film (and hence my angst at not having seen it on the big screen) is the cinematography. It is quite simply stunning. You just want to feast your eyes on the wonderful scenery, the changing of the seasons, the bright colours, and the amazing lighting. One minute you are taking in the grandeur a mountain sunset and the next, the delicate close-up beauty of a Ladybird. You can almost smell the outdoor freshness of the movie and you just want to breathe it in. Children and adults will love this film. If you are a nature lover, this is a must for your video collection.