Didier Brunner Movies

Follow 12-year-old Brendan (voice of Evan McGuire) as he battles Vikings and confronts an ancient serpent god on a mission to locate a legendary crystal and complete the mythical Book of Kells. Brendan lives in a heavily fortified medieval outpost known as the Abbey of Kells, where the ongoing threat of Viking raids causes the peaceful monks to live in a state of constant fear. Along with his uncle, Abbot Cellach, Brendan labors to fortify the abbey walls daily so his people will be protected from invading forces. When the mysterious Brother Aidan arrives at the abbey carrying an unfinished tome filled mystical secrets, Brendan becomes illuminated, and his dormant talents are awakened. The book must be finished, but accomplishing that mission will be no simple task. As the Vikings close in, Brendan ventures into the surrounding forest and prepares to confront his darkest fears. Accompanying him on his dangerous mission is Aisling, a half-wolf/half-human fairy whose powers will help to guide Brendan through this enchanting yet dangerous new world. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Veteran Danish animator Jannik Hastrup transforms an obscure Tarzan-like Inuit fairy tale into a animated feature film with his 2002 children's tale entitled Drengen de ville vaere bjorn (The Boy Who Wanted To Be a Bear). Somewhere within the Arctic Circle, a pregnant polar bear narrowly escapes a pack of vicious wolves only to give birth to a stillborn cub. The bear's spouse, recognizing his mate's deep depression, sets out to find a replacement baby bear to lift the female bear's spirits -- only to fail in his quest. However, he does come across a newborn human infant, which he steals from the infant's parents and takes back to his mate. As the adult bears raise the human child to be a bear, the child's birth parents desperately search for their son in order to return him to their family. After some time, the child is recovered by his birth parents -- but the boy considers himself to be a bear and wishes to live his life as a bear. The Boy Who Wanted to Be a Bear was included in the program for a number of children-oriented film festivals throughout Europe and won a Special Mention from the jury at the 2002 Kinderfilmfest. ~ Ryan Shriver, Rovi

This fanciful, animated feature from French artist and director Michel Ocelot is based on a popular folk tale from West Africa. Kirikou (voice of Theo Sebeko) informs his mother from the womb that it's time for him to be born, but when she's too slow, he simply does the work himself. After learning that his parents' village is being threatened by a sorceress with a taste for human flesh, Kirikou leaps into action to save the day, encountering friends and foes along the way, including a monster who can drain waterfalls and lakes with his enormous thirst and a wise man living on a magic mountain. Kirikou and the Sorceress also features an original score by acclaimed Senegalese musician Youssou N'Dour. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

French filmmaker Sylvain Chomet directs the animated feature The Triplets of Belleville. A young boy is raised by his grandmother, Madame Souza, in the French countryside. She buys him a bicycle and encourages his dream of winning the Tour de France. However, he gets kidnapped by a group of Mafia gangsters and taken to the big city of Belleville, where he is used for his bicycling prowess in an elaborate gambling scheme. Along with her faithful companion Bruno, Madame Souza sets out to rescue her grandson. They befriend a trio of aging musicians who were once the '30s jazz trio known as The Triplets of Belleville. Features an original jazz musical score by Benoît Charest. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi