Synopsis

Mumble, an emperor penguin, is born without the ability to sing the heartsong that helps his kind find a mate. Instead, he expresses himself through tap dancing, making him an outcast among his colony. After being blamed for the penguins' dwindling food supply, Mumble journeys across Antarctica, where he discovers the troubling cause and finds that his unusual talent may inspire meaningful change.

Factoids & Trivia

• Happy Feet was the first animated feature produced by Kennedy Miller Productions and Sydney-based Animal Logic.

• The dancing was created with motion-capture technology. Human performers learned penguin-like movements at a special "Penguin School," while tap dancer Savion Glover supplied Mumble's tap choreography and performance.

• Animal Logic built new computer infrastructure for the production. Rendering reportedly consumed 17 million CPU hours over nine months, and the film took approximately four years to complete.

• Prince initially refused permission for the use of his song "Kiss." After receiving a private screening, he approved the song and wrote "The Song of the Heart" specifically for the film. It won the Golden Globe for Best Original Song.

• The film won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and the inaugural BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film. It was also one of the earliest major awards successes for a non-Disney, non-Pixar animated feature.

• Steve Irwin voiced the elephant seal Trev. His recording was completed about a month before his death, and the finished film was dedicated to his memory.