Wolf Summer (Ulvesommer)

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Wolf Summer
Original title	Ulvesommer
Type	Features
Genre	Children
Director	Peder Norlund
Short summary	Kim, a twelve-year-old girl, has a dramatic encounter with a wolf while out on a secret climbing expedition during her summer vacation. Terrified andhelpless she is trapped inside the wolf's den along with a starving cub. Eventually she realizes the wolf mother has a plan with htis "kidnapping". Kim is about to begin the most amazing summer of her life, as babysitter and hunting paartner for a wolf. Hunted by concerned parents and furious huntes she is forced to choose sides in a heated conflict. Much like "Free Willy", "Wolf Summer" tells the fascinating tale of a n unusual partnership and an even more unusual friendship between a child and a wild animal.
Summary	THE ACTION When summer school in outdoor mountaineering is cancelled, twelve year old Kim decides to do as her father did the summer he was twelve. She wants to climb the East Wall – alone. Her climb does not turn out as planned, - she falls down, gets hurt and wakes up to a dramatic meeting with a wolf. Frightened and helpless she is held captured by the wolf together with a starving wolf puppet. This is the start of an extraordinary friendship. Kim experiences the adventure of a lifetime this summer. Chased by furious hunters, she is forces to pick sides in an upheated conflict. In the same way as “Free Willy” and “White Fang”, “Wolf summer” tells the adventurous story of an unusual partnership, and an even more extraordinary friendship between a child and an untamed predator. ABOUT THE WOLVES The producer and the director agreed that “Wolf summer” had to be made with genuine wolves. Consulting wolf experts in Scandinavia and the rest of Europe was a disappoinment: this story could not be filmed with real wolves, everybody recommended dogs or hybrids. To the producer and director this was unacceptable. Finally the producer found animal trainers in USA who were experienced in handling wolves. After thorough research and scrutiny, the choice fell on Troy Hyde and his Animals of Montana Inc. They could deliver everything the crew wanted and offered the necessary safety to entrust them with the responsibility of the twelve year old girl who was to act alongside the animals. ABOUT FINDING KIM The search for the girl that were able to play Kim was a difficult task: being the right cast, the girl also needed to be strong and bold enough to do all the physically challenging tasks described in the script. And finally: She had to be accepted by the wolves. Luckily the team found Julia Boracco Braaten. The first meeting between Julia, the wolves and their trainers was exciting. Would Julia be accepted by the wolves, and would she find a place amongst them? The wolf-trainers were radiant with joy: “This girl was better than we dared dream of,” says Troy Hyde. “She was immediately accepted by the wolves, and after few days the wolves allowed her to do things even we would spend months preparing for,” he continues. The training period was an exciting time. Julia had to recognize the boundaries, and safety had to be practiced. The wolf got used to the scent of Julia, and she was told to use the same shampoo and soap throughout the shooting period. It was important to keep the environment around the wolves stable and to not introduce new elements. None of the actors or actresses, nor the staff, were ever in doubt that they worked alongside wild animals with powerful instincts. The wolves were never to be petted, one should not approach them unless this was arranged beforehand; and if a wolf, against all odds, should leave the marked territory one should pretend one could not see them. All communication with the wolves went via the trainers. ABOUT THE PRODUCTION “Wolf summer” is shot on location in Montana, USA and in the Oslo area in Norway in the summer of 2002. The premier was February 28. 2003. “Wolf summer” is produced by Ellen Jacobsen and Kaare Storemyr for Nordisk Film (Norway) in co-production with Nordisk Film Production in Denmark. The story is written and directed by Peder Norlund, director of photography is Harald G. Paalgaard and the music is composed by Swedish Stefan Nilsson. ABOUT JULIA BORACCO BRAATEN (Kim) Similar to Kim in the movie, Julia Boracco Braaten (DOB: 10.03.1991) experienced the summer vacation of her life, the summer she ws playing the lead in “Wolf summer” opposite real wolves. She was chosen from 800 hopeful girls, and before shooting started she had to endure physical training and learn to climb rocks. When arriving on the set she was strong enough to arm-wrestle the rest of the crew. “I have become a pretty good climber,” says Julia “but it was frightening when I had to climb 60 meters up a mountain and hang only by my arms. I never knew until then that I was afraid of heights.” About the meeting with the wolf, Julia says: “The first day I sat on a tree stump and had to let the wolf sniff me. It was weird, but the wolf liked my scent and I managed to relax. It was completely cool to act with a wolf. I wasn’t very scared because I have a great Irish wolfdog at home.” THE REMAINING CAST Kims mother is played by Line Verndal. Jørgen Langhelle (I am Dina, Hold my Heart) plays the farmer and hunter Jon, well helped by Aksel Hennie and Ingar Helge Gimle. Swedish Samuel Fröler (Best Intentions) plays Kim’s helper Markus, and Niklas James Knudsen holds the role as Kim’s good friend Mads.
Cast	Julia Boracco Braaten, Line Verndal, Niklas James Knudsen, Jørgen Langhelle, Samuel Fröler, Ingar Helge Gimle, Aksel Hennie, Robert Skjærstad, Åsne Serierstad
Screenplay	Peder Norlund
D.O.P	Harald G. Paalgaard
Editor	Zaklina Stojcevska
Composer	Stefan Nilsson
Sound	Rune Palving
Costume designer	Bente Ulvik
Scenography	Peter Bävman
Producer	Axel Helgeland, Kaare Storemyr and Ellen Jacobsen
Production company	Nordisk Film AS Tel: +47 2414 9290
Co-producer	Nordisk Film Production AS, Denmark
Country of origin	Norway
Release date (national)	2003-02-28
Release date (international)	2003-04-17
Technical information
Format	35mm
Screen ratio	1:1,85
Colour	Colour
Sound System	Dolby SRD
Length in min's	87
Length in meters	2386
No. of reels	5
International sales	Nordisk Film International Sales A/S Halmtorvet 29 DK-1700 København Tel.: 0045 33 26 68 60 Fax: +45 33 26 68 89 Mail: contact@nordisk.com www.sales.nordiskfilm.com
Distributor (Norway only)	Columbia Tristar Nordisk Film Distributors Norge AS
Festival participation	2003 Berlin: European Film Market 2003 Washington Filmfest DC: Films4Kids 2003 Zlin International Film Festival 2003 Montana Film Festival 2003 Galway Film Fleadh 2003 Haugesund: New Nordic Films 2003 Buster International Children's Film Festival 2003 Cinekid, Nederland 2003 Schlingel Film Festival 2003 Nordische Filmtage Lübeck, Germany Opening film of Children's Film Section 2003 Oulo Film Festival 2003 Black Night Film Festival, Tallinn 2003 Bratislava International Film Festival 2004 Nordic Film Festival, Singapore Film Society 2004 International Film Weekend in Würzburg 2004 European Youth Film Festival of Flanders 2004 International Children and Young People’s Film Festival 2004 Arsenals Nordic Children Film Festival, 2004 Stockholm Film Festival, junior 2004 Minneapolis / St. Paul International Film Festival 2004 Chicago International Children's Film Festival 2004 KinderKinoFest Düsseldorf 2004 Scanorama, Vilnius 2004 Childrens Film Festival Cologne 2005 Mill Valley Film Festival 2005 Golden Elephant, India 2005 Moscow Children Film Festival
Prizes received	2003 Norwegian International Film Festival, Haugesund: New Nordic Films: Amanda for Best Children- and Youth Film 2003 Cinekid, Nederland: Audience Award 2003 Schlingel Film Festival: Children Film Prize 2003 Schlingel Film Festival: Main Prize 2003 Nordische Filmtage Lübeck, Germany: Prize of the Children's Jury 2004 European Youth Film Festival of Flanders: Award of the Children's Jury 2004 European Youth Film Festival of Flanders: Award of the Children's Jury (Brugge) 2004 Arsenals Nordic Children Film Festival, Riga: Audience Award 2004 Arsenals Nordic Children Film Festival, Riga: Best Film 2004 Childrens Film Festival Cologne: Second Prize

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Director biography:
Writer and director Peder Norlund (born: 1958) is educated both as a graphic designer from England and as DOP from the Danish Film School (1987 – 91).

During the last 10 years he has lensed and directed 150 commercials for various producers. Additionally he has written, directed and photographed 13 short fiction films, - of which several have won prices both nationally and abroad. “Wolf summer” is Peder Norlund’s first feature film.