Ploey: You Never Fly Alone

Ploey: You Never Fly Alone (2018) is an Icelandic-Belgian family animation you can watch online on iFILM. A young plover named Ploey still hasn't learned to fly when his flock heads south for the winter. Left behind, he has to outlast a brutal arctic season on his own.

Waiting for him: deep snow, hunger, and a cunning falcon that would happily make a meal of a stranded chick. Help arrives in the grumpy shape of Giron, a hermit ptarmigan who grumbles and scolds but quietly shelters the little bird and teaches him to fend for himself. Ploey has to make it to spring, beat his own fear of the air, and find his way back to the one he loves — and the road there is rougher than you'd expect from a cartoon about birds.

Director Árni Ólafur Ásgeirsson keeps the tone serious, and the English voice cast brings in Sean Astin and John Stamos. The harsh northern landscapes and real stakes set it apart from glossier studio fare; there's genuine danger and real sadness here. A good pick for older kids and families who love coming-of-age stories. Stream Ploey: You Never Fly Alone (2018) online on iFILM.