Marja Pyykkö’s fourth feature, Sihja, the Rebel Fairy [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film], is one of the titles taking part in this year’s edition of BUFF in Malmö (21-27 March 2021), Sweden’s international film festival for children and youth. Before filming Sihja, the Rebel Fairy, Pyykkö worked on several television productions and helmed three features – namely, Run Sister Run! (2010), Village People [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film] (2013) and Man and a Baby [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] (2017). The film will be awarded BUFF’s Nordic Star and is one of the nominees for the European Children’s Film Association Award.

The story of Sihja, the Rebel Fairy, penned by Kirsikka Saari and Jenni Toivoniemi, follows Sihja (Elina Patrakka), a young, charming and slightly outrageous fairy, who leaves her forest home. In the city, she meets a sensitive new 11-year-old friend, Alfred (Justus Hentula). Sihja loves the newfound organised urban shapes and the orderly habits that humans have. The pair bond quickly and have a lot of fun, until one day dead birds start to appear on the city streets. The smelly fertiliser factory could be the culprit, but when Sihja reveals her unbridled fairy powers, people begin to be wary of her. Alfred and Sihja must find out what is threatening Mother Nature. Thanks to a clever and brave investigation, they manage to prevent an environmental disaster. And thanks to Alfred, Sihja learns how to use her superpower and to apologise, while Alfred finds the confidence to stand up for himself. Other main cast members include Elena Leeve, Elmer Bäck, Eero Ritala, Pirjo Lonka and Paola Bärlund.

Talking about the project, the director told Cineuropa: “I feel that Sihja is a wonderful challenge for me. Even though it will be my fourth feature as a director, it will be my first film with children in the main roles and also my first with fantasy elements. This is something that I love, learning new things and aiming high. I strive to make Sihja a feature that combines genres in a new and exciting way. The film should be as light as a feather, funny and full of sharp changes in rhythm, like the best pop tune of the moment. It should grab the viewer, and be as real and refreshing as a leap into a great puddle of mud. Finally, it should be a big-time adventure, full of true emotions.”

Sihja, the Rebel Fairy was produced by Venla Hellstedt and Elli Toivoniemi for Tuffi Films (Finland) in co-production with Annemiek van der Hell for Windmill Film (Netherlands), Kristine MI Knudsen for Den Siste Skilling (Norway), Janne Hjeltnes for Storyline Studios (Norway) and Dennis Kleyn for Planet X Studios (Netherlands). The feature also received support from the Finnish Film Foundation, Eurimages, YLE, the Norwegian Film Institute, the Nordisk Film & TV Fond, SF Studios, the Netherlands Film Fund, the Netherlands Film Production Incentive, Business Tampere, Film Tampere, the City of Tampere, the European Union’s Creative Europe – MEDIA programme, Mer Film, Dutch Features, Church Media Foundation and Avek. Dutch Features is in charge of its world sales.

Check out our exclusive trailer below: