A close-up of a king penguin with its beak open, reminiscent of a scene from Baywatch, showcasing its vibrant yellow and orange neck feathers. The background is blurred, with other penguins visible in softer focus.
A colony of emperor penguins gathers on a rocky shore reminiscent of a scene from Baywatch. In the foreground, an adult penguin stands close to a fluffy brown chick, with more penguins blurred in the background. The adult penguin gently looks down at the chick.
Two penguins channel their inner Baywatch, swimming energetically through splashing water surrounded by seaweed. Their flippers are raised triumphantly as droplets fill the air above them against the backdrop of the shimmering water surface.

Penguin Baywatch

Nature & Wildlife·2 x 50 min·In Production

Discover the quirky world of penguins and their clumsy neighbors on the Crozet Archipelago, where mystery, science, and humor collide in the wild!

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Genre
Nature & Wildlife
Duration
2 × 50 min
Definition
4K
Audio
5.1
Status
In Production
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Synopsis

Penguins are charismatic and funny characters. They always look as though they are ready to go out to a fancy dinner. They are clumsy on the ground yet extremely graceful in the water.

Their neighbours on the beach are often naturally clumsy and grotesque as well: elephant seals look like gigantic bean bags when they leave the ocean to mate, give birth and moult.

To delve into the lives of penguins and their invasive neighbours, a new generation of talented film makers and divers is committed to spending extensive periods of time with them in their remote and hostile environment using the most advanced tools in 4K HDR cinematography.

Specific and easily identifiable king penguin characters will emerge and help us to develop in-depth stories. Despite its humorous approach, the series relies on hard facts and serious science.

 

Episode 1: TUXEDO SUMMER BASH

Welcome to Crozet Island, where beachfront real estate comes with a side of guano! Meet our dapper hero, a young king penguin returning to this remote volcanic island after years of ocean wandering, hoping to join the exclusive seaside singles club. His dating profile needs work – perfect plumage isn’t enough when your beak game is lacking! The island’s tuxedo-clad residents have discerning tastes and a complex social scene, where synchronized waddling is considered high art and personal space is measured in flipper lengths. Between awkward encounters with three-ton elephant seals, nosy sheathbills providing daily nostril inspections and strange human researchers, our penguins navigate the joys and perils of colony life. Watch as these feathered fashionistas perform delicate egg-exchanges, defend their territory with dramatic flair, and attempt to raise chicks while maintaining their dignity. It’s a summer beach party like no other – where singing contests, predator dodging, and heat waves make family life a challenging adventure!

 

Episode 2: PYJAMA PARTY

Winter has fallen on Crozet Island, and our penguin chicks are sporting nature’s coziest loungewear – thick brown down that transforms them into adorable fluffballs straight out of a pyjama catalogue! With parents working overtime on fishing trips, these downy youngsters form the world’s most exclusive slumber party, where social distancing is definitely not on the agenda. Our pyjama-clad heroes totter their way through childhood, creating chaos and mishaps at every turn! They make unlikely friends with pudgy elephant seal pups while dodging their massive fathers who turn beach wrestling into an extreme sport with penguins as reluctant spectators. As elephant seals attempt their first reluctant swimming lessons, penguin chicks face the daily drama of meal deliveries where sheathbills play the role of food-stealing party crashers. Winter has many more surprises in store for the fluffy adolescents, from parents that become unrecognizable during moulting to life-threatening storm-surges, life is not always fun and games for penguins…

Team

Written by Bertrand Loyer
Directed by Kevin Peyrusse and Marta Sostres
Executive producers Sabine Holzer, Bertrand Loyer, Martin Mészáros
Production companies A co-production of Terra Mater Studios and Saint Thomas Productions in association with France Télévisions, USHUAIA TV and CNC
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