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Little Wing

Original title: Tyttö nimeltä Varpu
  • 2016
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
972
YOUR RATING
Paula Vesala and Linnea Skog in Little Wing (2016)
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Drama

Little Wing tells the story of 12-year-old Varpu (Linnea Skog), who's quickly growing to adulthood, and about her mother (Paula Vesala), who doesn't want to grow up.Little Wing tells the story of 12-year-old Varpu (Linnea Skog), who's quickly growing to adulthood, and about her mother (Paula Vesala), who doesn't want to grow up.Little Wing tells the story of 12-year-old Varpu (Linnea Skog), who's quickly growing to adulthood, and about her mother (Paula Vesala), who doesn't want to grow up.

  • Director
    • Selma Vilhunen
  • Writer
    • Selma Vilhunen
  • Stars
    • Linnea Skog
    • Paula Vesala
    • Lauri Maijala
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.8/10
    972
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Selma Vilhunen
    • Writer
      • Selma Vilhunen
    • Stars
      • Linnea Skog
      • Paula Vesala
      • Lauri Maijala
    • 9User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 12 nominations total

    Videos1

    Little Wing
    Trailer 1:32
    Little Wing

    Photos9

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    Top cast32

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    Linnea Skog
    Linnea Skog
    • Varpu Miettinen
    Paula Vesala
    Paula Vesala
    • Siru Miettinen
    Lauri Maijala
    Lauri Maijala
    • Varpun isä
    Santtu Karvonen
    Santtu Karvonen
    • Bo
    Antti Luusuaniemi
    Antti Luusuaniemi
    • Ilmari 'Väärä isä' Hukkanen
    Niina Sillanpää
    Niina Sillanpää
    • Emilia Hukkanen
    Outi Mäenpää
    Outi Mäenpää
    • Ratsastuksenopettaja
    Anna Kare
    • Saara
    Aamu Milonoff
    Aamu Milonoff
    • Olivia
    Minerva Nylander
    • Jasmine
    Ronja Kalenius
    Ronja Kalenius
    • Sonja
    Taisto Oksanen
    Taisto Oksanen
    • Jari Peltonen
    Jukka Peltola
    Jukka Peltola
    • Benkku
    Iiris Huttunen
    • Ponityttö 1
    Ella Niinistö
    • Ponityttö 2
    Karolina Sundelin
    • Ponityttö 3
    Nelly Plukka
    • Ponityttö 4
    Dana
    • Svante
    • Director
      • Selma Vilhunen
    • Writer
      • Selma Vilhunen
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews9

    6.8972
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    Featured reviews

    7stephen-624

    Overcame my reservations

    Billed in Australia as 'Coming of Age', usually a turn-off for me. Saw it anyway, one does get a little reckless down here, you know.

    The first reel didn't dispel my misgivings, but it came home well after that, showing unexpected nuance, including the character of the girl's troubled father.

    Nice showing by Skog, acting out the difficult brief of a girl supposed to be 'wise beyond her years'. I'm not surprised some of the other girls became her real-life friends.

    I was sufficiently OK that I'd try out other movies by this director.
    7Reno-Rangan

    When one parent's failing, the kid needs another.

    This is the second Finnish film for me in a week. '...Olli Maki' was a sport-biopic, but this one is a simple fictional drama. All woman team, watching it on the occasion around Women's day make it a special. The story was not impressive enough. Lacks the originality, but overall decently made film.

    A coming-of-age theme that tells about Varpu who just turned 12. She lives with her mother, who is a character of underage. There's nothing bad about her, but she feels the world is a very complicated place and complaints a lot like a tween for even small small things.

    Since the Varpu is growing up fast, thinks her mother is failing to handle a girl like her age. So that leads her to look for her dad who she had never seen before. A little adventure on that, followed by issues surrounding it, how she overcomes and put her life back one track are the remaining parts to reveal us.

    Anybody who had seen the handsome of films in their life would think this film is just okay. That's true, yet I won't say it was a bad attempt. In fact, in some of the parts, the story won't advance as you think. The writing was neat, except lags a bit often, but that did not cause any annoyance.

    The entire story was told from a teenager's perspective, yet very matured from the contents wise. Like the tough decision to venture is to clear the doubts once and for all. What she discovered did not surprise as that's how her life had been so far. She's been with her mother all her life, so it was particularly to learn about her father.

    ❝She was so sweet and wise right from the start. Now she's dying or suffering somewhere, because I'm so retarded.❞

    There's no way the film could have been better than this. Because the message was nicely conveyed. Altering that would have given a different film, which is not the notion, I believe. Especially a girl who discovers what her parents truly are, I mean their capacity. Clearly her life begins onwards to be an adult in early age.

    The casting was so good. The three looked like an average real family. It was done without much hype. Like, you know, the mystery of dad was solved after some dramatic twist, but everything was kept within the limits. Especially most of the viewers would be looking for the Varpu's driving skill which they think could influence to bring a twist in the tale. But what follows is a twist to our anticipation. By the way the girl was excellent. I think she will be a fine actress.

    The clichés were not overused, instead it was used to shape up the story in its diversions. Whenever the narration reached its dead end, the following events quickly hops on a new path with fresh developments. This happened, particularly on two major occasions in which the first was after finding her dad and the next was after knowing his true identity.

    At that point, the film was almost done narrating the tale. Only finishing touch with little explanation was given on a few things. It is a good conclusion and quite enjoyable overall film. So I think the film's not for everyone. This is especially for those watches with admiration like with enthusiasm than those who watch it for no reason and interest. In simple words, for film fanatics and family audience. I said lots of positives, so you might think I would recommend it highly, but I won't. Instead, semi-recommended for overall readers.

    7/10
    2huupolli

    After seeing movie I have to say this

    I heard that the producer of this film says, that it is like French new wave but in Finland. I laughed so hard when I heard that. Has he even seen the films of French new wave? I doubt that because this film is not that good, not in a thousand years. This was a movie that anybody could have made. There was no originality, no bravery, no risk had been made. This movies is a movie that you forget in a week at most. I saw it last night and I can't remember anything specific thing because there were nothing interesting. It was just talking heads, that's it.

    If you look that how people have rated this movie in this platform, 16 people have rated this movie 10/10. That's insane. That means that 16 people thinks this movie is best movie ever been made. But probably 16 beings doesn't remember anything about this movie in a next month.
    1kodinkone

    Boring movie

    (I'm sorry for my bad English) I can describe this movie in one sentence: This a movie which doesn't take any risks. It was really boring cinematicly and story... well, nothing special. This movie is not original in any way. It's a movie for womens.

    Is that drama that we see the mother crying over her child and then we see that the child is doing alright. Is that dramatic in any way? I didn't cry nor laugh. It was just weird.'And when the mother cries to her child, it's has shown as a comic relief like what is this?? Why director wants to make sad things funny but when he want's to make people cry, there is nothing for cry about because the child is doing fine.

    There is one thing that I like this movie and that is that the schizophrenia was showed really mature way.

    It was not a bad movie but me, person who watches over 200 movies in a year, it was not speciall in any way.
    10rubyxxi

    A star is born. great story telling

    The movie is stunning on location, the soundtrack transports you to this young girl's world, Her journey is about finding out who she is, where she comes from, and to feel connection. One night Varpu spontaneously goes on a date with a boy her age (she is 12 years old approx) in the middle of the night ,after not being able to sleep, He teaches her to drive in a stolen car but expects more of her than she is willing to give. Anybody would go back home, jump in bed, before being found out. This young girl, however, decides to go on a road trip alone, in search of her identity. Linnea Skog deserves an Oscar for her interpretation of this beautiful unassuming character. The writer, Selma Vilhunen, did a beautiful job developing the main character Varpu (the young girl) and directing this film about human connection.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The leading cast of this film was not very experienced in acting since this is the film debut for Linnea Skog, Paula Vesala is better known as musician and Lauri Maijala is primarily a theatre director.
    • Soundtracks
      Auringon lapsi (Child of the Sun)
      written by Pekka Streng

      performed by Paula Vesala (as Vesala)

      courtesy of Warner / Chappel Music Finland

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • September 23, 2016 (Finland)
    • Countries of origin
      • Finland
      • Denmark
    • Language
      • Finnish
    • Also known as
      • Девочка по имени Варпу
    • Production companies
      • Making Movies
      • Final Cut for Real
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • €930,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $365,680
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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