Louis & Luca - Das grosse Käserennen

In his latest stop-motion film the Norwegian animation filmmaker tells the story of an old rivalry between two villages: because of a contest ending in a draw, the traditional Cheese Race between Flåklypa and Slidre will take place. Convinced that his team will win, Louis the magpie places a secret bet not only on their house, but also on the workshop of his friend Reodor the inventor. By contrast, his opponent Kleppvold from Slidre hopes to be able to rob the village of Flåklypa of its main source of income with a victory. Thus begins an adventure in which the competitive Louis, together with Luca the anxious hedgehog and Reodor the friendly inventor have to fight for their home. But how do you win a race that hasn’t been held for 68 years? For Louis and his friends it means showing courage, perseverance, team spirit and ingenuity. Their opponents, however, are relying on cunning tricks and the physical strength of Emanuel the gorilla. And yet the greatest obstacle lies in being able to see the bigger picture, to put friendship first and finally to bring prejudices into question. The film is borne by its wit and the loving design of its figures. Its story is told with much warmth, a story that not only evokes a smile at the local patriotism of the enthusiastic spectators, but also challenges the characters’ overestimation of themselves. And if nothing else helps Louis and his friends, it is their ability to see every half-empty glass as half-full and to turn every adverse situation into a positive endeavour. In the end, it is clear that what matters most is not the goal but rather the journey along the way.

Voices: Kari-Ann Grønsund, Trond Høvik, Per Skjølsvik, Kåre Conradi