At a time when bears were still living in Sicily, King Léonce reigned peacefully over his bear clan

La fameuse invasion des ours en Sicile / The Bears’ Famous Invasion of Sicily

1 hour 21 minutes / Italy, France / 2019

At a time when bears were still living in Sicily, King Léonce reigned peacefully over his bear clan. One day, his son Tonio disappears without a trace while fishing. Léonce is overcome with grief. When one of his advisors tells him that some people are fond of bears, the king gains hope and decides to lead his pack from the mountains down to the valley where the people live. But this journey proves much more difficult than King Léonce had imagined. The tyrant who rules the human village does everything to hinder the bears’ march. Along the way, they have to battle terrifying monsters and come face to face with the horrible oppressor himself. But ultimately, the bears and humans manage to live together in peace – at least for a while.

The children’s book “La fameuse invasion des ours en Sicile” comes to life under the direction of the Italian comic artist and illustrator Lorenzo Mattotti. The film is characterized by Mattotti’s color-rich style and brings to mind Hergé’s “ligne claire” with its clear lines, abstract forms, and facial features. The film is a splendid synthesis of the arts. Its magnificent backgrounds, as well as characters one can relate to, leave a lasting impression. It celebrated its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival and was screened in the Feature Film Competition in Annecy.

Director: Lorenzo Mattotti