Knoester – Knerten (2009)

Directed by: Åsleik Engmark | 75 minutes | comedy, adventure, family, fantasy | Actors: Adrian Grønnevik Smith, Silje Torp Færavaag, Lisa Loven, Jan Gunnar Røise, Pernille Sørensen, Per Jansen, Per Schaaning, Petrus A. Christensen, John F. Brungot, Jan-Paul Brekke, Amalie Blankholm Heggemsnes, Magnus Devold, Kjersti Fjeldstad , Ole Johan Skjelbred-Knutsen

When Anne-Cath Vestly passed away in 2008, Norway lost one of its most popular children’s authors. In her own country, Vestly has been compared to her Swedish colleague, Astrid Lindgren, although the latter is much better known. Nevertheless, Vestly’s books could also count on international recognition and the fact that some of her books were made into films certainly contributed to this. Vestly especially noticed her progressiveness: in her books in the 1960s, for example, she had women work and men take care of the children. Unheard of for that time! In addition, unlike other children’s book authors, Vestly did not believe that children should be protected from “evil” reality. You can’t catch the author making reality more beautiful.

One of the fictions the writer published is about Junior, a boy who gets an unusual boyfriend: a tree branch called Knoester. A total of nine books were published, which unfortunately have never been translated into Dutch. With the movie ‘Knoester’ we can meet Junior and his talking tree branch friend. Junior moves with his parents and older brother from the city to the countryside. His father and mother have found a lovely little house, which, however, shows quite a few defects on closer inspection. Junior collapses through the floor of his bedroom within half an hour of the family moving in! Junior is about five years old and does not have to go to school yet. There are no playmates in the area, so it is not easy for the little boy to get used to his new environment, especially since his mother and father are very busy fixing up the house. But when Dad is pruning a tree outside, Junior unexpectedly finds a friend on the floor among the wood waste: a branch that can talk! From that moment on, Junior and Knoester – as the branch calls itself – are inseparable and experience the best adventures. For example, Knoester keeps Junior company when his mother takes a job at the local grocer, where it is forbidden for children. Inventive as Junior is, he even comes up with a way to earn money for repairing the chimney: he simply exchanges returnable bottles twice!

‘Knoester’ is set in 1967, but the setting – the Norwegian countryside – makes it seem more as if the events took place in the fifties: time has stood still. This is reflected in the fashion (Junior’s teenage brother is laughed at for his long hair), the furniture and the decor of the cute village shop where Mother goes to work. However, the film does not look old-fashioned at all: thanks to the excellent cinematography and editing and the funny moments, the story becomes even more universal than it already is. The way in which Junior eventually ensures that his father can sell his colored tights and tights is a good example of this. It’s a joy to watch Junior get lost in his fantasies with Knoester. Dragons and princesses, Junior is like living in a fairytale! Adrian Grønnevik playing the part of Junior is an absolute discovery and steals everyone’s heart. His animated sidekick Knoester is beautifully designed and can easily withstand the comparison with minor characters in Pixar or Disney films. ‘Knoester’ is a wonderfully nostalgic, but certainly not an old-fashioned, nice and sweet family film that immerses you in a warm bath: one where you can still enjoy the water rosy.