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THE PENGUIN LESSONS

  • 2025
  • 1 HR, 50 min
  • MAR 28 → APR 10
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Details
Released March 28, 2025
Spain, United States, Ireland, United Kingdom
1 hour, 50 minutes
Sony Pictures Classics
Starring
  • Steve Coogan
  • Björn Gustafsson
  • David Herrero
  • Jonathan Pryce
  • Aimar Miranda
Director

Peter Cattaneo

Film Information

Starring Oscar nominee Steve Coogan, THE PENGUIN LESSONS is a poignant dramedy inspired by a true story, set against the backdrop of Argentina’s political turmoil in 1976.

Tom (Coogan), a disillusioned Englishman, arrives in Buenos Aires to teach at a prestigious boarding school, expecting an easy experience. But as the city spirals into crisis, and his students remain unteachable, Tom’s life takes an unexpected turn when he rescues an oil-slicked penguin from a nearby beach. The bird’s surprising loyalty and unique presence forces Tom to confront his own repressed past and awaken to the responsibilities of both personal and political change.

Directed by Peter Cattaneo (THE FULL MONTY, MILITARY WIVES), this heartwarming film shows how even the most unlikely connections can spark profound change and self-discovery.

Film Stills

Full Cast
Steve Coogan
Björn Gustafsson
David Herrero
Jonathan Pryce
Aimar Miranda
Additional Credits
Peter Cattaneo Director

Reviews

“The main reason why The Penguin Lessons is sweet, but also poignant, is due to the script’s keen eye for comedy in the face of a tumultuous backdrop.”

Isabella Soares
Collider

“You will smile, and you will laugh – sometimes uncontrollably. The movie has shades of ‘Philomena’, ‘Dead Poets Society’, and ‘The Holdovers’. Sarcastic, full of dry wit and humor, and tearjerking. Thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying.”

J Don Birnam
Next Best Picture

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