Film/animation for children
Reg:
Rasmus A. Sivertsen
Actors:
: Linn Skåber, Thorbjørn Harr, Einar Tørnquist, Anders Baasmo, Nader Khademi, Jeppe Beck Laursen, Odd-Magnus Willamson, Ine Marie Wilmann
Premiere date:
December 25, 2022
Age limit:
Allowed for all
«Egner nodded approvingly.»
Since nothing came of it, it’s a wonderful consolation to see that the legacy lives on anyway. This time in the form of the animated film “Folk og Røvere i Kardemomme by”. The film doesn’t bother anyone, it’s kind and decent to all who watch it, but one wishes he could do a little more as he wanted.
In Kardemomme, inspired by the Kampen buildings in Gamle Oslo where Egner also lived, we meet the famous characters. Conflict-averse police chief Bastian, stern Miss Sofie, the sausage maker, the baker and, last but not least, the robber trio Kasper, Jesper and Jonathan.
Utopia
Cardamom is a utopia, a place where all problems are resolved peacefully. The closest thing to a crime is a newspaper that isn’t on the doormat. Or sausages and baked goods that thieves feed on. Thieves own a growling lion, but that isn’t so dangerous if you treat it with love. The inhabitants of Kardemomme don’t know this, as they continue to see thieves as enemies of their idyll. With Egner’s verbal humor, including through song and dance, it’s a good time for everyone.
We waited for this
This is director Rasmus Sivertsen’s second animated film this year, and he’s brought in a pretty stellar team. Anders Baasmo, Linn Skåber, Thorbjørn Harr, Aksel Hennie and many others sing the famous songs with genuine feeling. You could be sitting and singing along.
STRICT: Linn Skåber has the voice of strict Aunt Sofie. Photo: Nordic film
sea View
Soul preserved
The film may not have the budget of international animated films, but it is still an impressive piece of craftsmanship that has been done. Beard stubble, props and clothes have a sensitive texture that you can touch and feel. The character animations are so full of little details that they might as well have been made of flesh and blood.
To further play with the established material, Sivertsen has made use of tools that prevent one from seeing that everything unfolds linearly. There are cross cuts and elements of the classic book designs that are scattered across the screen. It brings the story to life as it should, while the director and writers have preserved the soul in every scene.
Doors to outside
If there is anything to choose from, one can imagine what the film would have been like if Sivertsen had been given even freer reins. Granted, the outcome of the story is predetermined, but Egner’s survivors were involved in shaping the story, likely to preserve the legacy. Respect for this should also not be underestimated. At the same time, he made the story too tight and resulted in not fully getting into all the nooks and crannies of Kardemomme. Nor would it have been so silly to include more characters or extras with darker skin tones.
Fight against death
Deep down, though, is a message about who ended up outside of society. About how they see themselves and how they are seen by society at large. This is an emotional undertone that holds up a lot in a kids’ movie and to which adults will nod approvingly.
