A road trip across the Mecklenburg province - that's the adventure Finn and Jola embark on. Disappointed and misunderstood by their parents, they have only one destination in mind: the sea. On a stolen tractor and with great self-confidence, they encounter many quirky adults on their journey and learn a lot about themselves. An exciting and empathetic children's film for everyone aged 6 and up.

Finn is disappointed. Instead of going on a promised boat trip with him, his father is once again busy with work. So, Finn is sent off to his mother and her new girlfriend. Although he is only ten, he is supposed to travel alone by train to Berlin. This is where the trouble really begins, as Finn's backpack, including his ticket and family photo album, is stolen on the train. Neither the conductress nor the odd police duo believe him and instead assume that the ten-year-old is a runaway. While waiting in the back of the police car, a girl knocks on the window. Jola is on her way to Poland with her unpleasant uncle and wants to make a run for it. Finn also gradually feels that he just stands in the way of his parents. So, he is swept up by Jola's adventurous spirit and fearlessness. With a stolen tractor, the joint road trip through the Mecklenburg province begins. First, they want to retrieve Finn's stolen backpack, then head to the sea. But the journey holds some surprises for them. Besides quirky encounters, such as with a Danish naturist couple or the resurrected King of Prussia, the lost backpack also leads them into the arms of a biker gang.
Over time, Finn realizes that he misses his parents - a text message on the recovered phone makes it clear to him that they are very worried about him. But Jola wants to stick to the plan; she feels misunderstood at home and constantly clashes with others. She believes that no one would miss a girl like her. When they finally reach their destination and dip their feet in the ocean, there is a reunion with their parents. Relieved, they embrace their lost children, and Jola also realizes how much she means to her parents.
With the film adaptation of Martin Muser's children's book of the same name, Stefan Westerwelle succeeds in creating an equally exciting and empathetic children's film for everyone aged 6 and up. Always told from the child's perspective, the film takes the worries and feelings of its young protagonists seriously. On the adventurous journey through the vast Mecklenburg landscape and in encounters with some quirky adults, both Finn and Jola grow beyond themselves and form a close friendship with each other.

(06.09.2024)

Awards:
German Film Critics' Award 2024: Best Children's Film
Kinofest Lünen 2023: Best children's and youth film
Zlín Film Festival 2023: Best children's film
Film Rating Board 2023: Rating "particularly valuable"


Recommendations, Reviews:

“Stefan Westerwelle’s KANNAWONIWASEIN! (co-written with Klaus Döring) is a road movie of a different kind. With a keen eye for and on the same level as the young audience, the film tells the story of an adventurous road trip where chaos, fun, and anarchy are given as much space as the positive messages of friendship and the power of childlike curiosity.” (Filmbewertungsstelle)

“Here and there, it’s about two lonely wolves who, on an absurd journey, not only find each other but also themselves. Stefan Westerwelle develops beautiful motifs for this: spending the night on a high stand, chugging through the landscape with an old tractor, and encountering a peaceful wolf. He weaves thoughtful elements into the comedy without losing the overall lightness and the snappy, seemingly improvised tone. In such serious moments, it’s about feelings that not only children of divorce and social outsiders sometimes experience: the fear of being forgotten, being in the way, or simply not being wanted by anyone.” (Peter Gutting for Kino-Zeit)

“The film comes entirely – and this is rather untypical for current German children’s film productions – without a voice-over from the main character(s). Instead, the director succeeds in depicting the inner processes of Finn and Jola through visual means – such as point-of-view shots, close-ups of faces, or the play with color and lighting – to create a subjective involvement for the viewers. This focus on the visual is very refreshing. Overall, a relatively slow narration prevails: many scenes take their time, resulting in atmospheric images of the landscapes and characters. At the same time, the viewers do not get bored, as Westerwelle finds just the right pace to tell the story, resulting in a well-balanced mix of external tension, humor, and inner depth.” (Frank Münschke for Kinderundjugendmedien.de)

Production Country

Germany (DE)

Production Period

2022/2023

Production Year

2023

color

color

Duration

Feature-Length Film (61+ Min.)

Type

Feature Film

Genre

Road Movie, Literary Adaptation

Topic

Relationship / Family, Friendship

Target Group

Junior film (7-11)

Available Media

DCP, Blu-ray Disc, DVD

Original Version

German (de)

DCP

Subtitles

German (full), English (en), French (fr), Spanish (Latin America), Portuguese (Brazil), Chinese (short), Russian (ru), Arabic (ar)

Blu-ray Disc

Subtitles

German (full), English (en), French (fr), Spanish (Latin America), Portuguese (Brazil), Chinese (short), Russian (ru), Arabic (ar)

DVD

Subtitles

German (full), English (en), French (fr), Spanish (Latin America), Portuguese (Brazil), Chinese (short), Russian (ru), Arabic (ar)

Note on the Format

DVD-Vertrieb ab 01.12.2024 möglich