The Her­mit and the Bear

Delphine Maury (writer-producer) and Marine Blin (writer-director) took part in Le Groupe Ouest’s Annual Selection in 2020 for the development of this animated feature film, adaptation from John Yeoman and Quentin Blake’s novel.

Synopsis

The bear is left alone and very sad when he meets an old hermit. He is a former teacher who has withdrawn from the world and come to live here, in the middle of the forest, in a cave. He doesn’t miss society at all, but the hermit has a passion for teaching. When our bear shows up at his door, in urgent need of learning, the hermit takes up the challenge. He promises to teach the bear how to become less stupid and clumsy, which is sure to make him friends. As a result of this training, the bear even receives a diploma to prove it. But the hermit is soon disillusioned: he will have to scale down his educational ambitions for this particular student. The bear is indefatigable in his goodwill, he observes and imitates his master meticulously, but he reproduces everything in his own way and with a disconcerting logic… Above all, the bear being a bear, being around him is not without danger. And even with the best of intentions, our plantigrade molests his teacher, and seriously risks damaging him. Fortunately, the hermit will realise that the bear learns a lot, even if it is not exactly what he is trying to teach him. For his part, the bear will discover that the hermit has a secret and that he too needs help. Our two companions, so different, so opposed, will become friends. And their adventures, their determination and their tenderness, will win over the animals of the forest, and convince them of the benefits of friendship.