Little Wing tells the story of 12-year-old Varpu (Linnea Skog), who is rapidly approaching adulthood while her mother Siru (Paula Vesala) refuses to grow up. One night, Varpu has had enough of her horse-riding friends and her mother. She steals a car and drives north in search of the father she has never met. Finding him awakens something in both Varpu and Siru, and they begin to realise the roles they play in each other’s lives and in the world.

Nordic Jury's motivation:
"In LITTLE WING Selma Vilhunen manages to capture big and fundamental emotions using very small gestures, and proves that she has a sensibility as a director and screenwriter beyond the ordinary. She cleverly plays with how girls and young women are often treated on film, and every time the audience senses and expects a threat to the main character Varpu, Vilhunen lets her - both literally and figuratively - steer away from the clichés. Soft and capable, Varpu roams a world where the characters are allowed to be real people who are both good and bad, and where their surroundings are simply a setting but never a theme. In LITTLE WING the jury found moments of pure energy and cinematic gold, and we want to see more."

Nordic Jury members: Per Juul Carlsen, Jaana Puskala, Silja Hauksdóttir, Inger Merete Hobbelstad, Emma Gray-Munthe

For full press release, click here.

National Jury's motivation: A young girl attempting to escape the challenges of her everyday life embarks upon a universally relatable adventure. Little Wing is the debut feature by director Selma Vilhunen, whose short film Do I Have to take Care of Everything? was Oscar-nominated in 2014. Twelve-year-old Linnea Skog gives a nuanced performance in the lead role, while Paula Vesala radiates female strength in the role of her mother.

National Jury members: Jaana Puskala, Mikaela Westerlund, Harri Römpötti

For full press release, production notes and high res photos of director, producer and poster see Press kit. The information is available in the Nordic languages and English.