Niko & the Way to the Stars
Niko - lentäjän poika (Niko - pĺ väg mot stjärnorna)
Niko - le petit renne

Finland/Germany/Ireland/Denmark 2008 colour 80 min Cinemaker Oy/Anima Vitae

****

Animated adventure

cast: Olli Jantunen (Niko), Hannu-Pekka Björkman (Julius), Vuokko Hovatta (Wilma), Vesa Vierikko (the black wolf), Jussi Lampi, Minttu Mustakallio (Essi), Elina Knihtilä, Puntti Valtonen, Risto Kaskilahti, Juha Veijonen, Tommi Korpela, Aarre Karén, Kari Hietalahti
credits: dir. Kari Juusonen & Michael Hegner, script Hannu Tuomainen & Marteinn Thorisson, prod. Hannu Tuomainen & Petteri Pasanen, music Stephen McKeon, main animators Luca Bruno & Peter Bohl & Ludo Savonniere, art director Mikko Pitkänen

A small reindeer called Niko lives with his mother and friends in the snowy Lappland. He has never seen his father, but his mother has told to him that his father is one of the Santa's flying reindeers. Niko wants to fly too and find his father.



Niko is not the very first animated feature from Finland. Nevertheless it's one of the most popular and praised Finnish children's movies. And it's easy to see why; the world of Niko looks and sounds beautiful like a bucket of wild flowers. But that's not the most important thing: the movie also tells a wonderful and warm old-fashioned fairytale with a touch of today. This is a movie that everybody should see.

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