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The Little Matchgirl

  • 2006
  • G
  • 7m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
5.5K
YOUR RATING
The Little Matchgirl (2006)
AnimationDramaFamilyFantasyShort

A poor young girl has a burning desire to find comfort and happiness in her life. Desperate to keep warm, the girl lights the matches she sells, and envisions a very different life for herse... Read allA poor young girl has a burning desire to find comfort and happiness in her life. Desperate to keep warm, the girl lights the matches she sells, and envisions a very different life for herself in the fiery flames.A poor young girl has a burning desire to find comfort and happiness in her life. Desperate to keep warm, the girl lights the matches she sells, and envisions a very different life for herself in the fiery flames.

  • Director
    • Roger Allers
  • Writers
    • Hans Christian Andersen
    • Roger Allers
    • Ed Gombert
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    5.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Roger Allers
    • Writers
      • Hans Christian Andersen
      • Roger Allers
      • Ed Gombert
    • 30User reviews
    • 10Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 2 nominations total

    Photos16

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    User reviews30

    7.85.4K
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    Featured reviews

    9rmetzger-4

    The plight of a little girl set in turn of the century Russia.

    One of the saddest cinematic displays I have ever seen. It is 2D rendered 3D animation overlaid with traditional illustrations as well. The animation is well done and coordinates well with the score. The film is very short, 11 min or so, but it is a simple plot with only one main character (the match girl), and by the end of the picture you are totally engaged in the girls plight. H.C. Anderson had a way with human despair, and this film captures that nature without one word uttered. I recommend this film despite its graphic illustration of society's malevolence and disregard. To be honest I have never read the original Anderson story, but it seems to have a similar tone to his other works (not the Disney adaptations).
    10TheLittleSongbird

    A small Disney masterpiece: Such a beautiful and touching story

    Ever since I was a little girl, I have been deeply moved by Hans Christian Andersen's story. It is so beautiful, so touching and so poignant, yet I don't consider it depressing in any way. From the very start, I had immediate sympathy for the Little MatchGirl of the title, and I was hoping this Disney short would do this amazing story justice. And it does.

    The Little MatchGirl in my opinion is a small Disney masterpiece, it is very short, but it is beautiful in every meaning of the word. I am a huge fan of Disney, not only of their films(Beauty and the Beast especially) but also of their Silly Symphonies like The Old Mill and Flowers and Trees. The Little MatchGirl is yet another favourite of mine from them.

    The short has no dialogue or voices, all through visuals and music, and this worked. The animation is simply stunning, the backgrounds, character features, the architecture of those beautiful Russian buildings and colours are consistently amazing. And I have to say the music is outstanding, this was a piece of music- Borrodin's String Quartet no. 2, Nocturno- that I really underestimated, it is a truly beautiful work that is put to perfect use and beautifully performed. The story is still poignant and touching in tone, the title character I related to immediately and the pacing is just right.

    Overall, a superb short, like I said with The Old Mill, I forgot I was watching a cartoon and thought I was watching a work of art. 10/10 Bethany Cox
    Vincentiu

    embroidery

    it is one of films who are not defined but story - well - known - but for art to translate in image a classic text. the science to present new nuances for Andersen story . and, in that case, the job is remarkable.for the grace of details, for the smart solutions, for the lovely animation, for the blue and white and gray, for the magic and for the last images. a film like an embroidery. delicate, simple, touching, honest and hard careful work. the little girl is different by the original character but the new details are beautiful homage to the author. a lovely short film.useful for the remember of childhood emotions.
    10Hitchcoc

    The Saddest of Tales

    A little girl, living in Russia in the winter, has a few matches to sell. She is shunned by all who see her. They have no empathy. Finally, she finds a corner between some buildings. She begins to strike the matches. As each one burns, she experiences (in her mind) all the things that she doesn't have: heat, food, safety, and love. There is that same ending that we have come to know.
    10Blissey01

    The greatest Disney short ever... in my opinion

    I had heard a lot about this short film called "The Little Matchgirl" in the last few months, like how it was originally created for an aborted "Fantasia" sequel, how it was based on a short story by "Little Mermaid" author Hans Christian Andersen, yadda yadda. But, when I finally got the 2-disc "The Little Mermaid" Platinum Edition DVD on which "Little Matchgirl" is found, I was totally blown away. Roger Allers did a (pardon my language in a comment on a Disney film)damn fine job on this short. I do believe that if nominated for an Oscar, "The Little Matchgirl" will blow all those other shorts out of the water.

    Just a friendly word of advice, folks: bring a lot of Kleenexs...

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    Related interests

    Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)
    Animation
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
    Family
    Elijah Wood in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
    Fantasy
    Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)
    Short

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In 2005, Walt Disney Feature Animation finished production work on a new adaptation of "The Little Match Girl". The short was originally intended to be a part of "Fantasia 2006", but this project was canceled. The Little Matchgirl is last of the four shorts from the aborted compilation to be developed as a standalone film. It combines hand-drawn animation, computer techniques, and stylized backgrounds, and retains Andersen's tragic ending. This short was subsequently released as a special feature on the 2006 Platinum Edition DVD of The Little Mermaid (1989).
    • Connections
      Featured in The 2006 Academy Award Nominated Short Films: Animation (2007)
    • Soundtracks
      String Quartet #2 In D Major: 3rd Movement: Notturno (Andante)
      Written by Aleksandr Borodin (as Alexander Borodin)

      Performed by Emerson String Quartet

      Violin: Philip Setzer

      Violin: Eugene Drucker

      Viola: Lawrence Dutton

      Cello: David Finckel

      The Emerson String Quartet appears courtesy of Duetsche Grammophon

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 7, 2006 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • None
    • Also known as
      • Дівчинка з сірниками
    • Filming locations
      • Walt Disney Feature Animation - 500 S. Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Disney Enterprises
      • Walt Disney Animation Studios
      • Walt Disney Feature Animation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 7m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • SDDS
      • Dolby Digital
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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