BY:
Juha Wuolijoki (feature debut)

STARRING:
Hannu-Pekka Björkman
Otto Gustavsson
Kari Väänänen
Minna Haapkylä
Mikko Leppilampi

Finland, 2007, 80’

Have you ever wondered how Santa Claus grew up to be Santa? Discover the untold story of Santa’s life. Against breath-taking landscape and despite family tragedy and personal hardship is a big and pure heart filled with love for children around the world.

In a remote village in Lapland, young Nikolas loses his family in an accident and is looked after by the villagers. On Christmas Day every year, Nikolas has to move to a new home. To show his gratitude, Nikolas makes toys for the children of the families as good-bye presents. Over the years, his former adoptive families become many, and soon almost every house has presents on its doorstep on Christmas morning. When the village suffers a food shortage, the villagers have to send Nikolas away to work as an apprentice for the hermit carpenter, Iisakki. Under the severe tutelage of Iisakki, Nikolas develops skills that enable him to create even better presents, and to work even faster. He also learns to wear his red suit that becomes his trademark and deliver presents with the help of reindeers.

Years pass by. Nicolas is now a very old man. The Christmas present-giving tradition is in danger of coming to an end, unless a miracle happens.

Winky Wong is the happiest girl in the world because she gets to take care of Saint Nicholas’ horse, Amerigo; only this turns out not to be as easy as she thought it would be...

Winky learns horse brooming, but she is not allowed to ride Amerigo until she is much bigger. At home, mom is pregnant and hospitalised. Winky feels lonely and finds comfort in Amerigo. She wants so much to ride him.

One day, when nobody is around, Winky decides to take a ride. But something terrible happens. Amerigo escapes. Winky has to find him back before Saint Nicholas returns…

From award winning director (Natasha Arthy) and well known production house Nimbus Film comes this first Danish film with martial arts on a big scale.

Aicha is a high school student and she's going to be a doctor - so says her father, first generation immigrant to Denmark from Turkey. But Aicha prefers martial arts to school homework. She defies her parents' ban and her Islamic upbringing and starts training with men prefessionally in a Kung Fu Club.

The rules of life are not as simple as the rules of martial arts. Aicha's choice ends up bringing great consequences not only for herself but her whole family.

*****Official competition at Gothenburg
*****Opening film & official competition at BUFF

A heartwarming roadmovie about best friends Dunya and Desie. Dunya is of Moroccan origin, raised with Ramadan, Imams and Mecca. Desie is as Dutch as Cheese, Wooden Shoes and Tulips. On her 18th birthday, Duyna learns that her family wants her to get married to some nephew in Morocco. She doesn’t really feel like doing so. At the same time Desie gets pregnant, which makes her want to meet her own biological father. When she finds out he lives in Morocco, the two girls decide to find him.

Inspired by Emmy Award nominated TV series.

BY:
Bernd Neuburger (Summer with the Ghosts)

STARRING:
Kaspar Simonischek
Marco Yuan
Mingmei Quan
Peter Simonischek
Brigitte Karner
Maria Hofstätter
Xueli Yuan
Ming Huang

Austria, 2008, 90’

A young Chinese Austrian boy invites his friend Danny to spend their summer vacation at the house of his grandfather on Hainan Island on the southern tip of China. Mozart, a theater marionette, comes alive that night, hides in Danny’s suitcase and flies with the two to China.

With the help of his granddaughter Lin Lin, Grandfather restores his shadow theater. A friendship develops between Danny and Lin Lin, and Mozart falls in love with the beautiful shadow princess, for whom he composes the “Chinese Sonata.”

A catastrophe arrives when the loan shark comes knock at Grandfather’s door. As the colorful shadow puppets come to life in the shadow theater only, Mozart and the kids have to find a solution to keep the theater intact. Will they succeed?

BY:
Anna Justice (feature debut)

STARRING:
Zoe Moore
Emil Reinke
Adriana Altaras
Jan Josef Liefers
Monica Bleibtreu

PRODUCED BY:
Maria Köpf (Run Lola Run)

Germany, 2007, 94’

Nelly is a highly intelligent and no-nonsense girl. Her only friends are her books and she idolises the prince of Luxembourg who shares her passion for the outer space. At the news that her school basketball team is going to compete in Luxembourg, she drops her books and jumps on the basketball training ground. 16-year-old Max Minsky is ready to make a deal with her: she does his homework, he teaches her how to play basketball.

The trouble is that she is turning 13 and she is Jewish: she has to prepare for her Bat Mitzvah. Will she follow her heart or mind? Will she find her prince?

Adapted from best-selling novel.

*****Amsterdam 2007: Cinekid Lion Prize
*****Sarajevo 2007: Audience Award

BY:
Petter Naes (Oscar nominated for Elling)

STARRING:
Ali Ali
Peter Stormare
Per Fritzell
Heinrich Schafmeister

Sweden, Germany, Norway, 2007, 86’

Azad has big dreams for his older brother: he wants Tigris to become a championship high jumper in their native Iraq, and perhaps even an international champ. But after a bombing has the boys running for cover, Tigris is unable to speak, and young Azad must now look out for his big brother.

Deciding they must get their family to a safer country, the boys’ parents send them out of Iraq. By mistake, the boys get stuck in Sweden. To stay in the new country, Azad and Tigris must pretend to be members of another Iraqi family entering Sweden at that very moment.

Character is tested and high jumping skills meet high flying smarts as Azad and Tigris learn that there is more than one way to become a true champion!

*****Giffoni: Young People’s Jury Award
*****Kristiansand: Audience Award
*****Lucas: Don Quijote Award
*****Zlin: Golden Slipper
*****Chicago: 1st Prize (Live Action)