use Template;

use open ":std", ":encoding(UTF-8)";

my $dogface = "\N{DOG FACE}";

my $template = <<"ENDOFTEMPLATE";
Dog face from template: $dogface
Dog face from variable: [% dogface %]
ENDOFTEMPLATE

my $tt = Template->new(ENCODING => 'UTF-8');
$tt->process(\$template,{dogface => $dogface});