Des manchots et des hommes

This is quite honestly my favourite documentary, and a surprising find as an extra on the March of the Penguins.

Jérôme Maison really captures the sense of wonder in exploring a completely different world.The dialogue is in some parts stunted by his grasp of English grammar, but I think this in a way adds to the overall piece and lends a poetic charm you don't often find in mass-produced documentaries for cable networks.

You get a real sense of being on this adventure in Antarctica with Maison and Jacquet.

If this film doesn't inspire you in some way then you should probably stick with reality television programs.

A great companion piece to March of the Penguins, which is basically a making of doc.

However, you get the human perspective of the events from the Oscar-winning doc, such as the first arrival of the penguins.

Some of the lines are groan-inducing ("We expected them to be comic, but they are quite regal"), but you do get the excitement of being among the birds who have no fear of humans (since they never learned it.)

This documentary is included in the DVD of March of the Penguins, and matches up quite well to its more popular cousin.