THE BOOK OF THE DESERT

“The Book of the Desert” (L'enfant du forêt) Directed by Gilles de Maistre France, 2026, 92 minutes

A gripping new story from a master of adventure cinema. Gilles de Maistre, creator of hits about the unusual bonds of children with animals such as “Mia and the white lion” or “Emma and the black jaguar”, returns with another spectacular film. “The Book of the Desert” is a family adventure full of emotions set in breathtaking landscapes of the Sahara. Twelve-year-old Sun sets off for the Sahara to unravel the secret of an old legend told by her grandfather. On the spot, he learns the true fate of a boy who, at the age of two, went missing in a powerful sandstorm. Left to graze the desert, he is miraculously saved by a flock of ostriches. He spends the next ten years with them, learning to survive and growing up away from humans. His best friend and playmate is the fenek — the great fox of the desert. The boy learns to communicate with animals, and wildlife becomes his home. It is a story about an extraordinary bond that can be born even in the most unexpected places.