"Heinähattu and Vilttitossu"
Heinähattu ja Vilttitossu

Available on DVD or VHS

Finland 2002 colour 75min Kinotaurus Oy

****

Children, comedy, drama

cast: Katriina Tavi (Heinähattu), Tilda Kiianlehto (Vilttitossu), Minna Suuronen (mother Hanna), Antti Virmavirta (father), Merja Larivaara, Päivi Akonpelto, Robert Enckell, Heikki Sankari
credits: dir. & edit. Kaisa Rastimo (also script with Marko Rauhala), DOP Tuomo Virtanen, prod. Marko Rauhala and Sinikka Usvamaa, music Hector, based on a books by Sinikka and Tiina Nopola, staging Katriina Ilmarinta, costumes Kalle Kuusela and Tiina Kaukanen

A light kids movie about two small girls who rather stay with their exiting neighbours than at home with their boring father (all he can think is his potatoes - he examines them) and highly educated mother (in spite of that she can't even cook). Then the other one of the girls, Heinähattu, has to go to the school. Because her sister is two years younger than her, she begins to worry about her. Who shall look after the small Vilttitossu if their mother goes to work and father just keeps observing his plants?

There's no doubt about it, this is fun to watch. Especially kids may like about it. The child performers, Tilda and Katriina, are a marvellous couple. Adult performers go at times over the edge from realistic acting to complete circus. But it doesn't matter much, because the funny neighbours and policemen in the movie are mostly seen from the kids point of view. These characters are partly fantasy, a link to the world that only a child's imagination can create. The movie is not full of nonsense, it tries also to teach something to the kids. This part is nicely "hidden", it goes well with everything else.

TRIVIA: The movie won Finnish Oscars, Jussi prizes, from costumes and staging.

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