The Magic Reindeer – Synopsis

Puppet animation series for children, 35mm film/digi-Beta, 13 x 7 minutes.

The puppet animation series “The magic Reindeer” is based on the shamanistic folktales of the Northern folks – mainly of the Scandinavian Sámi.

The evil trolls with their witchcraft and the good will of the common people compete with each other.  The powerful fauna of Lapland and Siberia plays a key role. The bear transforms to a handsome youngster or the swan to a girl.  Surprising transformations and magical paths at the Arctic ocean, where under-earth, in the heaven and under the sea build one world with the reality. The series respects the ethnographical details and gives the old fairytales new wings.

The beliefs of the nomadic tribes and the mysterious rituals of shamans are still alive in the isolated villages beyond the Polar Circle , but very few films – mostly documentaries – have ever found their way for the wider audience. Puppet animation is a perfect tool to describe this rich and unique culture , and in a very gentle but effective way it can also support the struggle of the vanishing minorities against the overwhelming westernisation.

The single episodes are all independent ; they can be used as spots as well when needed.