Pessi and Illusia
Pessi ja Illusia (Pessi och Illusia)
Pessi et Illusia (French title)
Pessi und Illusia (German title)

Finland 1983 colour 81min Ay Partanen & Rautoma

****

Fantasy

cast: Jorma Uotinen (Ristilukki), Sami Kangas (Pessi), Anu Marttila (Illusia), Raimo Grönberg (father), Esa Suvilehto (Pienanen/father mouse), Eija Ahvo (mother mouse), Rabbe Smedlund, Sinikka Sokka
credits: dir. and prod. Heikki Partanen (also script with Riitta Rautoma, Jorma Karimo and Erkki Mäkinen), music Kari Rydman, Jean Sibelius and Antti Hytti, DOP Henrik Paersch, based on a story by Yrjö Kokko

A lovely fairy tale. Illusia is a fairy who finds a gnome Pessi while she is visiting on the earth. They start to live together. Pessi keeps the little fairy warm when it's winter. But then an evil spider (dancer/choreographer Jorma Uotinen) finds out where they live.

In spite of that there must not have been much of money to make this movie, it looks wonderful. Sari Salmela's costumes are fantastical and Jorma Uotinen's dance steals the show. Even the child actors are surprisingly good. One can only imagine how great movie this could have been with a bigger budget.

TRIVIA: The movie won four Jussi prizes (Finnish Oscars) but also international awards.

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