Om Tilla

Reknown Norwegain writer and director Arne Skouens eleventh feature film "Om Tilla" (About Tilla) is the first of his troubled children trilogy, and is made in remembrance to the child psychologist Nic Wahl.

On a fresh autumn day Ivar goes to the Botanic Gardens in Oslo to meet Maria, which is mother of a mute girl, young Tilla. Ivar is a child psychologist and was approached by Maria with her daughter eight months ago, but didn't return. Now Ivar wants to get Tilla back in treatment. He manages to persuade Maria to send her daughter back in treatment, which soon gives results, after which toys Tilla picks to play with.

Synne Skouen, daughter of the director Arne Skouen plays Tilla, one of Skouen's favorite actors Toralv Maurstad plays the psychiatrist. We also meet Eva Henning (the mother) and Norwegian film diva Wenche Foss in other leading roles.

The film is very silent, which is great due to the theme. No dramatic and annoying music is used, which I think is a bold move by Skouen, though also for some strange.

Skouen was very concerned with children with special needs, and also had a disabled child himself. He engaged himself in children's care for years, and when he had made his last film 7 years after this (An-Magritt) he tended over to be a writer once again, eagerly writing commentaries in the newspapers about children's rights.