This beautifully animated film, full of humor and surprise, is a touching and powerful allegory about the absurdity of war and the importance of family and community.The son of Léonce, King of Bears, has been kidnapped by hunters in the Sicilian mountains and his subjects are also starving after a harsh winter. The bears must descend from their homes in the mountains in search of food and the Prince, into the land of men , where they face fierce opposition from the army of the nasty Grand Duke of Sicily. After many battles, scrapes, and dangers, the bears establish their reign over the land. Yet, as in any battle, victory comes at a price.  Based on a 1945 Italian children’s story by Dino Buzzati, this is the first feature film from the acclaimed comic artist, illustrator, and graphic novelist Lorenzo Mattotti, known for his work in The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and Vogue, amongst others. His tender imagery combines diverse influences from Renaissance painting to Expressionism, with elegant, unfussy forms in earthy tones bringing the story of the bears enchantingly alive.