Little Wing

Little Wing from Oscar-nominated director and screenwriter Selma Vilhunen follows Varpu, a 12-year-old Finnish girl with a burning desire to find her biological father. Varpu, who functions as her mother’s primary caretaker, struggles with her friends’ comments about both her mother’s odd behaviour and the fact that she never mentions her own father. Pressured by her peers and overwhelmed by her mother’s complete helplessness, Varpu hotwires a car and sets off on a journey to find her father. While she has no problems with the practical aspects of her pursuit, the emotional challenges prove to be overwhelming, even for precocious Varpu. Little Wing is a realistic and serene film, that reveals a lot between the lines and through Varpu’s expressive and longing face. JSR

Selma Vilhunen (b. 1976) is one of Finland’s most beloved filmmakers. After her 2012 Academy Award nomination for the short Do I Have to Take Care of Everything? she has received grants to work long-term with a series of films. Little Wing is her debut film and was nominated in ten categories for Finland’s national film award Jussi.