Bridge to Terabithia (2007)
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Two children create a fantasy world to cope with their troubled reality.
The story
Jess Aarons is a 12-year-old aspiring artist living with his financially struggling family in Lark Creek. He is often bullied by several peers and faces a difficult relationship with his strict father. His life changes when he meets a new student, Leslie Burke. The two become friends and venture into the woods to discover an abandoned treehouse. There, they create a fantasy world called Terabithia to escape their daily struggles. As they spend more time together in this imagined realm, they grow closer and find solace in their shared secret, while navigating the challenges of their real lives in a small town.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Jess Aarons, a 12-year-old artist in Lark Creek, faces a difficult life involving a struggling family and a strict father. He meets Leslie Burke, a new student, and the two become close friends. They discover a hidden treehouse in the woods and create a fantasy world called Terabithia to escape their reality. After a period of growing closer, a tragedy occurs: Leslie dies in a creek after a rope snaps. Jess is left to deal with the grief and the reality of her death. He eventually learns to cope by re-imagining Terabithia and inviting his younger sister, May Belle, to join him as a new ruler of the land, ensuring Leslie's memory lives on.
- First release year
- 2007
- Runtime (minutes)
- 95
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Gábor Csupó
- Writers
- David L. Paterson · screenplay; Jeff Stockwell · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Josh Hutcherson · Jess Aarons; AnnaSophia Robb · Leslie Burke; Bailee Madison · May Belle Aarons; Zooey Deschanel · Ms. Edmunds; Robert Patrick · Jack Aarons; Kate Butler · Mary Aarons; Devon Wood · Brenda Aarons; Emma Fenton · Ellie Aarons; Grace Brannigan · Joyce Aarons; Latham Gaines · Bill Burke; Judy McIntosh · Judy Burke; Patricia Aldersley · Grandma Burke
- Genres
- fantasy; drama
- Themes
- friendship; imagination; loss; coming-of-age
- Tone and mood
- heartwarming; poignant
- Setting
- Lark Creek, a rural area with woods and a creek.
- Premise and plot tags
- fantasy; coming-of-age; school-life
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1977 novel by Katherine Paterson
- Content notes
- death
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 85% · scale: percentage · review count: 158; Metacritic · score: 74 · scale: 100 · review count: 25
- Awards and nominations
- Best Family Feature Film (Fantasy or Musical) · Young Artist Awards · 2008 · win; Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actor · Young Artist Awards · 2008 · win; Best Performance in a Feature Film – Leading Young Actress · Young Artist Awards · 2008 · win; Best Performance in a Feature Film – Young Actress Age Ten or Younger · Young Artist Awards · 2008 · win; Best Performance in a Feature Film – Young Ensemble Cast · Young Artist Awards · 2008 · win; Best Performance by a Younger Actor · Saturn Awards · 2008 · nomination; Best Young Actress · Broadcast Film Critics Association Award · 2008 · nomination
- Production trivia
- The original novel was based on events from the childhood of Katherine Paterson's son.; The film was the final project for cinematographer Michael Chapman before his retirement.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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