Watch Little Wing

Little Wing is a touching drama film from 2016, directed and written by Selma Vilhunen. The movie tells the story of a curious and adventurous twelve-year-old girl named Varpu, played by Linnea Skog, who lives with her mother in a remote village in Northern Finland. Despite being happy with her mother, Varpu cannot shake the feeling she has that she is missing something, and longs to find her unknown father.

Varpu’s mother, Siru (Paula Vesala), is a free-spirited woman who works as a musician and struggles to keep up with the responsibilities of parenthood. She spends most of her time away from home, leaving Varpu to tend to herself. On one of her mother's gig nights, Varpu discovers a photo of her father, apparently a musician as well, and becomes determined to find him. With the little money she has, she goes on a journey to Helsinki, where she hopes to find her father, but she goes on this risky journey without telling her mother.

As soon as Varpu arrives in the big city, she encounters a series of unexpected challenges, but she is determined to achieve her goal. During her journey, Varpu meets a man called Rauli (Lauri Maijala), who becomes an unlikely ally and a confidant to her. Rauli helps her navigate the streets of the big city and provides her with insights on life, music, and family. Together they embark on a road trip in search of Varpu's father, as she learns important lessons about life, love, and the importance of family.

Little Wing is a powerful and beautifully crafted coming-of-age story that merges moments of genuine emotional intimacy with a cinematic style that evokes the feeling of a road trip movie. The film explores themes of family, identity, and the human desire to connect with others, told through the perspective of a young girl who is trying to understand herself and the world around her.

The movie benefits from strong performances from its lead cast, particularly from Linnea Skog, who carries the film with a touching and nuanced performance, portraying Varpu's blend of curiosity and vulnerability with remarkable poise. Paula Vesala brings a depth of emotional complexity to the character of Siru, a mother struggling to find her footing while being true to her artistic passion. Lauri Maijala creates a fascinating character in Rauli, an insightful and mysterious individual who adds a touch of eccentricity to Varpu's journey.

The film's visual style is understated but stunning, utilizing the natural beauty of the Finnish landscape to create a sense of both wonder and melancholy. The cinematography is subtle, but the striking colors and contrasts that shift from the bluish hues of the North to the vibrant and warmer tones of the city create a visual language that perfectly captures the film's tone.

Overall, Little Wing is a touching and thought-provoking drama that manages to balance moments of intimacy with moments of self-discovery and quirkiness. Selma Vilhunen has crafted an engaging and poignant story of a young girl searching for her place in the world, told with a rare sensitivity and an attention to detail that sets it apart from other coming-of-age stories. A moving, humane picture that lingers long after it's over, Little Wing is a film that should not be missed.

Little Wing is a 2016 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 36 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8.