The Fox and the Child [DVD]

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.

There are clear boundaries between nature and civilization but often they are crossed with devastating effects. Luc Jacquet's The Fox and the Child looks closely at those boundaries through the eyes of a young girl who becomes immersed in the wonders of nature but her curiosity and love of this rich world leads to tragedy.

Set in the beautiful mountains of France, the film opens with a young girl (Bertille Noel-Bruneau) making her way to school. Her home is surrounded by the mountains, trees and lakes and during her wanderings she encounters a fox that becomes her obsession over the coming months. At first the girl is only able to observe the fox from a distance but over time the girl and the fox strike up a friendship and begin exploring the world around them together. This peaceful idyll cannot last though and the girl learns the harsh way why there are boundaries between people and nature.

The Fox and the Child veers between a film and a documentary with Kate Winslet providing the narration from the perspective of the girl who is now an adult looking back on her time with the fox. The lack of dialogue in the film in no way hinders it for the gorgeous landscape and the fabulous array of animals has more impact than words possibly could. Nature is of course more prominent in these mountains but civilization is encroaching in the form of hunters that see foxes as mere pests while the girl's journey, though one of wonder, breaks the rules. After an early foray into the wild she is startled by a group of wolves and ends up falling and injuring her ankle. Holed up in her home with only books to read about foxes, the girl is soon aware of the dangers her new friend faces and prays that the fox will continue to thrive in an uncompromising world.

The fox at the centre of the film is mistaken as a male by the girl but she soon learns that not only is her companion female but she has a litter of cubs to care for. The fox's story is typically poignant beginning with her mate being killed after eating some meat hanging from a tree. Within moments the male is whimpering and is found dead on the grass, presumably poisoned. While hunting for food the fox has to contend with hunters and predators as well as the onset of winter. The film is at its best when we're just enjoying this footage of the wild which you'll never tire of seeing. The fox is understandably wary of the girl initially, even moving her young to a new den but once the girl is perceived as friendly the relationship changes. This makes for some wonderful moments including the girl playing music on the hills while the fox's cubs follow her closely. However, as pleasant as these scenes are there is a lingering feeling of something upsetting on the horizon and The Fox and the Child doesn't break from this tradition.

Being an animal lover I found some of The Fox and the Child quite difficult but I appreciate it was necessary as a harsh lesson the girl needs to learn about nature. In one instance she is with the fox by a camp and doesn't want her to escape so puts a rope round the fox's neck as a lead. The fox inevitably becomes distressed and manages to free itself in a panic much to the girl's annoyance. However, it takes a very tragic incident for the girl and the fox to realise that their friendship is wrong and that the boundaries between them cannot be overcome. I won't spoil the ending of course but some people may want to have their hankies ready. I was initially quite angry with the very unpleasant incident at the end, cursing the girl's stupidity but thankfully the film's conclusion recovered things very well. I was left having enjoyed this brief trip into nature, one that is beautiful to behold but doesn't shy from the fact that it is a dangerous place for the animals that live there.

The Fox and the Child is a pleasant film that should appeal to wide audiences though it could be too upsetting for young children. This is a simple story, a moral lesson about nature and a film full of stunning scenery and animals. This should serve as a useful reminder to pro-fox hunters that foxes have a tough enough existence as it is.

This is a truly beautiful film. My two and a half year old is completely enchanted by it and has watched it many times. It's educational too, teaching about the seasons, the animal world and love. Thoroughly recommend this for any age.