IT
| Original Title | Ella Ja Kaverit – Operaatio Saukko |
|---|---|
| Movie Type | Feature |
| Genre | |
| Section | |
| Country | Finland |
| Production Year | 2025 |
| Movie Length | 75' |
| Director | |
| Screenplay | |
| Based on | Ella & Friends by Timo Parvela |
| Cast | |
| Director of Photography | |
| Editor | |
| Visual Effect | Viivi Veivo |
| Production Designer | Pirjo Rossi |
| Costume Designer | Sofia Kouvo |
| Makeup | Tiina Ryynänen |
| Music | Markku Mäkelä |
| Produced by | Aleksi Hyvärinen |
| Production | |
| Festival Contact | (Finland), Don Films, www.donfilms.fi / The Finnish Film Foundation, www.ses.fi |
ELLA & FRIENDS – OPERATION OTTER | Ella Ja Kaverit – Operaatio Saukko
Fearless Ella and her classmates race to save their forest from a greedy developer. With quick thinking, clever traps, and a little help from Mother Nature, the kids outsmart the villains in a fun-filled adventure about friendship, teamwork, and protecting what matters most.
Elin Grönblom, a Finnish writer and director, earned her Master’s in Filmmaking in the U.S. in 2011. Since then, she has written and directed multiple TV series for children and young adults. Her debut feature film is ELLA AND FRIENDS, with several other feature projects currently in development.
Director's Note
I’m thrilled to be part of this project—not just because working with kids is always fun and challenging, but because the world of Ella truly speaks to me. Kids can be unpredictable and unfocused, but that spontaneity is what makes them so magical on screen. When a child fully becomes their character, it’s pure gold.
I love the playful, heightened reality of Ella’s world—it’s not tied to a specific time or place, allowing us to craft a unique visual identity. Still, even in this stylized world, the emotions and relationships must feel real. Humor should come from something genuine within the characters.
I’m also not afraid to explore deeper emotions. For humor and warmth to resonate, we must care about the characters, and that comes from seeing their full emotional spectrum. Music plays a key role too, helping to shape the film’s identity and mood. I’m excited to see how our audience receives Ella and her friends and our beautiful Scandinavian nature.