Synopsis
Children and animals have always shared a common bond. Unlike a grown-up, a child's innocence and unadulterated curiosity can bring out the gentler side from even the wildest beast. Tommy and The Wildcat is a sincere portrayal of this touching relationship between a young boy and a lynx. Although, Hollywood has dominated the theme of child/animal relationships, this film gives the audience a chance to discover this oft told tale from a Finnish perspective. Tommy and his father move to a small village in Northern Finland near a wild life reserve after his mother passes away. Haunted by memories of his mother, Tommy must begin a new life under unfamiliar circumstances. He is soon helping his father who becomes involved in a project to release a captive lynx into the wild. But when the wildcat returns to the village in search of food, the villagers led by an evil poacher become bent on capturing it. Tommy must now fight to save the animal's life and send it back to where it belongs... Raimo O Niemi a veteran director who has long worked with children and animals captures the stark beauty of the Lapland as well as the heartwarming interaction between the young boy and the lynx. Working against the odds - child, animal, nature and parallel shooting in English and Finnish - the creators of Tommy and The Wildcat have conquered a new frontier for Finnish films.