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HISTORY & PREHISTORY

Wolf Summer

Wolf Summer

Wolf Summer or ‘Ulvesommer’ was in Montana and Norway in the summer of 2002. The premiere was February 28, 2003. The story is written and directed by Peder Norlund.

When summer school in outdoor mountaineering is cancelled, 12 year-old Kim, played by Julia Boracco Braaten, decides to do as her father did the summer he was 12. She wants to climb alone. Her climb does not turn out well; she falls down, gets hurt and wakes up meeting a wolf! Terrified and helpless she is trapped inside the wolf's den along with a starving cub. Eventually she realizes the wolf mother has a plan with her ‘kidnapping’. Kim is about to become babysitter and hunting partner for a wolf. Wolf Summer tells the fascinating tale of an unusual partnership and an even more unusual friendship between a child and a wild animal.

About the meeting the wolf, Julia says: “The first day I sat on a tree stump and had to let the wolf sniff me. It was weird, but the wolf liked my scent and I managed to relax. It was completely cool to act with a wolf. I wasn’t very scared because I have a great Irish wolf dog at home.”

The rest of the cast included Norwegian and Swedish actors Line Verndal, Jørgen Langhelle, Aksel Hennie, Ingar Helge Gimle, Samuel Fröler and Niklas James Knudsen.

Julia Boracco Braaten in 'Wolf Summer', http://www.nfi.no/Did you know?

The producer and the director agreed that Wolf Summer had to be made with genuine wolves. People in Europe said the story could not be filmed with real wolves, everybody recommended dogs or hybrids. To the producer and director this was unacceptable. They found animal trainers in USA who were experienced in handling wolves. After careful research the choice was Troy Hyde and his Animals of Montana Inc.

Samuel Fröler voiced Shrek in Shrek 2 when it was translated into Swedish.

Julia was chosen from 800 girls, and before shooting started she had to learn to climb rocks. “I have become a pretty good climber,” says Julia “but it was frightening when I had to climb 60 meters up a mountain and hang only by my arms. I never knew until then that I was afraid of heights.”Julia Boracco Braaten in 'Wolf Summer', youngactressreviews.org

Wolf Summer has won the Norwegian International Film Festival Audience Award, Schlingel Film Festival: Children Film Prize and the Main Prizes and the 2004 Arsenals Nordic Children Film Festival, Riga: Audience Award and Best Film.

When the wolf got used to the scent of Julia, she was told to use the same shampoo and soap throughout the shooting period because it was important to not introduce new elements.

They filmed in Montana and Oslo, Norway

Thank you to:
Norwegian Film Institute
http://www.imdb.com/

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