The Oscar® he won for Crac! allowed Frédéric Back to fulfil his dream of bringing Jean Giono's wonderful story The Man Who Planted Trees to the screen. In more distilled form, its environmental message and philosophy of life reflect the concerns already addressed by Back in his previous films. The seeds that the shepherd plants are the symbol of all our actions, good and bad, which have far-reaching consequences we can scarcely imagine. It is up to us to think and act in accordance with our hopes for the future, and, if possible, to leave behind us a world more beautiful and promising than the one we inherited.

一个孤独的牧羊人凭着一己之力和数十年的时间，在荒漠中种出了大片的树林，把土丘变成了绿洲。《种树的牧羊人》是Frédéric BACK先生1987年出品的一部代表作品，动画的剧本改变自法国作家Jean Giono在1953年出版的同名小说。整部动画片充满了诗意的叙述。与其说这是一个动画片，不如说它是一个精致的散文。淡泊而又意味深长，风格简约而又意味深长。叙事代替了色彩和形式成为主角。
2006年6月在法国安锡(Annecy)国际动画电影节上评选出的“动画的世纪·100部作品”荣登第五名。