Ernest & Celestine

One of the nominees for Best Animated Feature film at this year's Academy Awards®, ERNEST & CELESTINE is adelightful parable on the value of cross-species friendship, based on the beautiful watercolor children’s books by Belgian illustrator Gabrielle Vincent. Ernest is a struggling bear musician searching for food to quell his post-hibernation hunger pangs. Celestine is an artistic, headstrong little mouse, schooled by her grim elders to fear bears. Above and below ground, each society abhors the other. The mice, who have built their subterranean world on the incisors that they rapidly grind through, send their children up to gather the lost teeth of young bears as replacements. Misunderstood, our heroes get involved in a mix-up that sets the parallel bear and mouse police forces hot on their tails. But ERNEST & CELESTINE are creative—and childlike—enough to imagine all the animals living together in peace. Grown-ups will enjoy the voice talents of Forest Whitaker, Lauren Bacall, and many more. —B.B.