Karla & Katrine – Karla og Katrine (2009)

Directed by: Charlotte Sachs-Bostrup | 85 minutes | family | Actors: Elena Arndt-Jensen, Nanna Koppel, Joshua Berman, Nikolaj Støvring Hansen, Lasse Guldberg Kamper, Ellen Hillingsø, Nicolaj Kopernikus, Therese Glahn, Allan Olsen, Jonathan Stahlschmidt, Jakob Fals Nygaard, Susanne Juhász, Anna Clara Sachs Leschly, Gitte Siem Christensen, Mikkel Vadsholt

Renée Toft Simonsen is a versatile woman. In the eighties she broke through as a fashion model. She was voted Supermodel of the World in 1982 and she was on the cover of American Vogue that same year. Her image has subsequently graced numerous magazines and posters and even a CD (‘Atlantic Years’ by Roxy Music). Simonsen hooked up with Duran Duran bassist John Taylor, with whom she had a four-year relationship. In the meantime, she made her debut as an actress. She was asked to be a Bond girl, but Simonsen didn’t like it. During a three-month stay on a kibbutz in Israel in 1989, she came to her senses. She gave up modeling (for now) and decided to go to college. It turned into psychology, but her heart was in writing. For example, she worked as an editor at a Danish magazine. In 2003 she published her first children’s book, ‘Karla’s kabale’. More books followed and Simonsen has now also completed her first novel for adults.

The books about the young girl Karla, who has all kinds of adventures, are extremely popular in Denmark. So popular, in fact, that a film adaptation was inevitable. In 2007 the film ‘Karla’s kabale’ was released, two years later ‘Karla & Katrine’ (2009) followed and for 2010 ‘Karla & Jonas’ is on the roll. ‘Karla & Katrine’ focuses on the friendship between two twelve-year-old girls. Karla (Elena Arndt-Jensen) has had a rough time. Her father was addicted to alcohol, so her mother sought refuge with someone else. A divorce was inevitable. Thanks to Karla’s intervention, it was still possible to spend Christmas together. But because of all the struggles within the family, she has had little time for her best friend Katrine (Nanna Koppel). In the meantime she has visited other girls and does not hang out with Karla much anymore. Much to the chagrin of Karla, who wants nothing more than to be friends with Katrine again. When the family goes to their country house by a large lake during the summer holidays, Karla asks her friend to join them. Much to her delight, she says yes. Although it will take some time for the air to clear, because they have grown a bit apart.

But like best friends, they’ll be inseparable in no time. A great adventure awaits them after they meet the mysterious Jonas (Joshua Berman), a boy their own age who comes from a home. During the summer months he stays with a host family and he would like nothing more than to stay with his host parents. However, a gang of juvenile criminals throws a spanner in the works. They keep robbing the village shop empty and Jonas is blamed for it. Karla and Katrine are convinced of his innocence and try to make it clear to the villagers and the police. That turns out not to be so easy. Meanwhile, something beautiful blossoms between Karla and Jonas, much to Katrine’s chagrin. She is jealous of the attention the two have for each other; they don’t even see her anymore! Just as the two girls have rekindled their friendship, an argument seems to stand in the way of their reconciliation.

In Scandinavia they know better than anyone how to make a good youth film. The Danish ‘Karla & Katrine’ was again very successful. Universal themes such as friendship and puppy love are addressed in a way that is recognizable to the target group (young viewers between the ages of 8 and 14). The previous film focused on the separation of the parents, as well as loneliness. The central character Karla is also very layered, which makes her very sympathetic. It takes no effort at all to put yourself in her situation. She sometimes seems to live in a (summer) house full of crazy people. Her two younger brothers can be very annoying (for example, the youngest has the annoying habit of peeking at people who relieve themselves). Mother Rikke (Ellen Hillingsø) is very busy comforting her best friend Dolly (Therese Glahn), whose relationship has recently come to an end. Karla’s stepfather Leif (Nicolaj Kopernikus) feels uneasy about this, especially when Dolly remarks that she doesn’t tolerate him around him because she ‘cannot tolerate male energy for a while’. In this way, the adults mainly provide the comic relief, the drama takes place with the children.

The great strength of ‘Karla & Katrine’ lies in the excellent story, which will appeal to everyone, but especially young teenage girls. Ina Bruhn processed Renée Simonsen’s story into a balanced script. The experienced director Charlotte Sachs-Bostrup ensures the right balance and lets the events pass in review at a brisk pace. She lets her talented (young) actors – because Arndt-Jensen, Koppel and Berman are the ones who steal the show here – do their job and let the story come into its own. ‘Karla & Katrine’ is touching at times, but also regularly puts a big smile on the face. A charming and very successful adventurous youth film, just as you would expect from Denmark!