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The modestly produced children's film The Tadpole and the Whale (La Grenouille et la Balleine) was honored with Canada's equivalent of the Emmy award. The "tadpole" in question is 12-year-old Elvira, who is fascinated with life under the sea -- so much so that she has developed the ability to breathe underwater. Elvira befriends a frolicsome dolphin, whom she names Elvar. In the course of their many adventures, girl and dolphin are introduced to all manner of deep-sea denizens, including an easygoing whale. Since there must be a plot, the scripters give Elvira a grandfather who is in danger of losing his seaside hotel. In addition to its Canadian award, Tadpole and the Whale was also the recipient of the London Film Festival award and the International Ecological Film Festival Award.