Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth by Oliver Jeffers
The week surrounding the 50th anniversary of Earth Day marked the release of an original Apple TV+ animated short based on the Oliver Jeffers children’s book, Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth.
The New York Times bestseller and TIME Best Book of the Year, written and illustrated by Jeffers, was created especially for his own son but the hopes and wishes for his child that unfold within are universal to every parent. It follows a precocious 7-year-old who, over the course of Earth Day, learns about the wonders of the planet from his parents — and from a mysterious exhibit at the aptly titled Museum of Everything.
The result is a sweet and funny user’s guide to our widely diverse planet and everything living on it, from terrain to space to all of humanity. A meaningful reminder of what we all have in common and the importance of reinforcing our responsibility to our planet and to each other, the book is a touchstone for how we can all make the world a better place through kindness and tolerance.
As narrated in the film by Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep, “there is so much more for you to learn about planet Earth. Make sure you look after it, as it’s all we’ve got.” Streep is joined by an all-star cast including Chris O’Dowd (Girls, State of the Union) as the dad, Aiden; Ruth Negga (Loving, Ad Astra) as the mom, Nora; and Jacob Tremblay (Room, Wonder) as the child, Finn.
Of the insightful and poignant 36-minute film animated by Studio AKA, Chris O’Dowd remarked, “It’s so gorgeous. When everything is so hard to explain, here’s a little textbook on how the world works.”
The film is now available for streaming on Apple TV+. Watch the trailer and a clip (“Time Is Precious”) below.
Official Trailer
Film Clip
