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English Titles W

Winky's Horse

Original title: Het Paard van Sinterklaas
German title: Pferd für Winky, Ein
Netherlands, Belgium, 2005

Director: Kamp, Mischa
Production company: BosBros
Co-producers: MMG, Asse, AVRO Jengdrama, Hilversum, Eyeworks Belgium
Age recommendation: 5 years and up

Synopsis:
Six-year-old Winky Wong has only just moved to a small town on the coast where her parents have opened a Chinese restaurant. She loves going to visit her neighbours, Aunty Cor and Uncle Siem, who run a riding school. Winky adores looking after the horses.
One day, when Winky’s favourite horse, Sara, has to be put down because she is too old and weak, Winky decides that she wants nothing more than to own a horse of her own. But where on earth is she to get one? Certainly not from her parents, who earn very little. But when she learns about Santa Claus at school, she begins to live in hope. That’s it! She’ll ask Santa Claus for a horse! Her father’s reaction is doubtful, to say the least, but what does he know about the customs in this country?
And so, when Santa arrives by boat at the port, Winky is standing in the front row. In spite of this, she fails to give him her drawing and so she writes him a letter and takes it to the post office. But on the morning of Saint Nicolas’ Day her is shoe empty. Then she hears that Santa is to visit a shopping mall that afternoon. This time, she actually manages to speak to him and he promises to give Winky a horse.
Overjoyed, Winky sets about converting their garden shed into a stable. Winky’s father has had enough of Winky and her wishes but Aunty Cor and Uncle Siem are beginning to worry about the little girl in earnest. Wouldn’t it be better to buy Winky a new horse she can look after?
Naturally, Winky’s bound to be disappointed by Santa’s next visit and, when he hands over his gift to Winky at school it is indeed merely a plastic horse… (Kinderfilmfest/14plus Berlin 2006)

Comments:
A very nice film even for young children from 5 years on.

Director's statement: “The tale of Winky, a young Chinese girl who has to adapt to a completely different culture, tells the universal story of surviving in a new and often unwelcoming world. Through her eyes we experience the hilarious misunderstandings, the search for love and friendship and the pain of rejection that immigrants face. But nothing can stop the open and deeply curious Winky”.

Marketing strategies:
Admissions 2005 - 2009: Belgium 54.000,The Netherlands 380.000, Spain 187, France 62.000, Norway 32.000, Sweden 2.650, sold to to many more countries all over the world (cibnema, TV. home media)

Festivals:
Kinderfilmfest/14plus Berlin 2006, Stockholm Junior 2006, Montreal 2006 (awarded), Sprockets Toronto 2006, Reel 2 Real Vancouver 2006, Kristiansand 2006, Munich 2006, Giffoni 2006, Chicago 2006 (awarded), Muenster 2006, Vienna 2006 (awarded), London 2006, Cinepänz Cologne 2006 (awarded), Duesseldorf 2006, London Children's Film Festival 2006, Oulu 2006, Castellinaria Bellinzona 2006, Ale Kino Poznan 2006 (awarded), Augsburg 2007, Vilnius 2007, Cyprus 2007

Website: www.hetpaardvansinterklaas.nl

Study guide: Danish

Study guide: English, Pupils Booklet Part 1

Study guide: English, Pupils Booklet Part 2

Study guide: English, Teachers Guide Part 1

Study guide: English, Teachers Guide Part 2

Study guide: Flemish

Study guide: French

Study guide: German

Study guide: Norwegian

World sales address/es:
Attraction Distribution (CDN)

Sold to:
Telepool / Global Screen (DE)
Bundesverband Jugend und Film (DE)
BR-TV (D)
Arthaus (NO)
Folkets Bio (SE)
Les films du préau (F)
Warner Bros (NL)
Warner Bros. (B)
Øst for Paradis (DK)
Youth Plan (GR)
Czech TV (CZ)
In The Air (NL)