Wolfwalkers

Set in a time when superstition rules and forests hide more than they reveal, a young hunter's apprentice named Robyn travels to a remote Irish valley with her father to eradicate the last wolf pack. When Robyn spares a wild, native girl named Mebh during a tense encounter, loyalties are tested and a fragile friendship forms across cultural lines. The two girls stumble into a hidden society that treats wolves as kin and the land as sacred, a world where magic and danger walk side by side. As Robyn inches toward a different fate, she begins to question her father's mission and the very meaning of what it means to protect home. The animation shifts between intimate moments and forests.

Directed by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart, Wolfwalkers comes from Cartoon Saloon, creators of hand drawn fantasy that blends myth with sensibilities. The film is built from Will Collins's story and hits screens as a standout original tale from Ireland.

It earned a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 93rd Academy Awards, recognizing its artistic ambition and storytelling craft. Critics praised the animation style and the emotional core of Robyn and Mebh, along with the film's respectful treatment of folklore for modern audiences worldwide.

Visually Wolfwalkers stands out for its luminous hand drawn imagery, vibrant color, and sweeping forest scenes that echo Irish legends. The film helped push a new wave of family friendly animation rooted in myth and environment, reinforcing Cartoon Saloon as a guardian of distinctive European folklore and inspires future animators.

Critics highlighted the film's patient storytelling, its focus on a growing bond between Robyn and Mebh, and its meditation on tradition versus modernity. Themes of identity, birthright, and stewardship of nature run through a brisk, character driven adventure that still feels intimate. Its ending invites discussion about coexistence and responsibility.