If you’ve considered seeing Ernest & Celestine, settle in for a charming and endearing story for all ages. Don’t mind the subtitles, because hearing a cute mouse and burly bear speak in French is going to make your heart melt.

I’m a bit ashamed that I never reviewed Ernest & Celestine, considering I saw it almost six months ago. I remember sitting down to watch it as part of my Academy Award Quest, since it was nominated for the Best Animated Film category, and walking away from my screen a few hours later totally enamored—I didn’t care that it was a foreign film; it was such a great story about overcoming obstacles that I was sad that others might not want to see it since it wasn’t in English.

Basically, this is a wonderful story to share with your children—it has all the elements of a good parable, with beautiful animation to make anyone appreciate how this movie is unique. In the screencap above, you see some of it: brush strokes, the appearance of hand-animation, and dynamic coloring. This animation style isn’t one of our childhood Disney classics, but its uniqueness is what makes it so captivating. Put together with the story of two unlikely friends—‘us against the world’—and you’ve got a movie that should appeal to children and adults alike!

If you haven’t seen, or heard of, Ernest & Celestine, I’d recommend taking the time to track down a copy and enjoy it. It’s light-hearted yet instructive, beautiful to watch and beautiful to listen to. Its nomination was well earned, and while I can’t say it could ever have beaten Frozen, it certainly should be considered to have given Disney a run for their money.