Thelma's Perfect Birthday

Thelma, a bright and curious penguin girl from the Arctic Ocean, wants to celebrate her upcoming birthday with all her friends. To do so, the little girl sets off on a fantastic journey that boosts her self-confidence and suddenly confronts her with the question of what home means.

  • Reinis Kalnaellis
    Director
  • Liva Eglite
    Writer
  • Cecile Somers
    Writer
  • Vilnis Kalnaellis
    Producer
  • Paul Thiltges
    Producer
  • Adrien Chef
    Producer
  • Madison Brunoehler
    Key Cast
    "Telma"
  • Andrejs Prigicevs
    Production design
  • Karlis Auzans
    Music
  • Laima Puntule
    Background
  • Renars Zalitis
    Composite
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Feature
  • Genres:
    Fantasy, Family, Adventure
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 12 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    September 25, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    Latvia, Luxembourg
  • Country of Filming:
    Latvia, Luxembourg
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • 29.Internationales Filmfestival SCHLINGEL
    Chemnitz
    Germany
    September 25, 2024
    Word premiere
    ECFA award "Best European Film for Children"
Distribution Information
  • Rija Films
    Sales Agent
    Country: Latvia
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Reinis Kalnaellis

Reinis Kalnaellis is a Latvian film director, producer, and editor born on April 9, 1986, in Riga, Latvia. He has made significant contributions to the field of animation and filmmaking. Kalnaellis studied filmmaking, social sciences, and media at Tallinn University, where he obtained his Bachelor's degree. He further honed his skills at the FAMU film school in Prague, studying cinematography and collaborating with renowned tutors such as Pavel Jech, Marek Jicha, and Miroslav Ondříček.
Kalnaellis gained early experience in the film industry at the studio "Rija Films”. His directorial debut in animation came with "When Apples Roll" (2009), which was showcased at over 100 film festivals worldwide and received several awards, including Best Animation for Children and Special Jury Distinction. He continued to build his reputation with films like "The Golden Horse" (2014) and "Dziedosais Hugo un vina neticamie piedzivojumi" (2017).
In addition to his work in animation, Kalnaellis has been actively involved in various aspects of film production and distribution, continuously seeking innovative ways to finance independent filmmaking and develop cross-media projects. He also served as the chairman of the Latvian Filmmakers Union from 2013, contributing to the growth and development of the Latvian film industry.
For more detailed information about his works and career, you can visit his IMDb page.

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