Rafiki
Julie, Mette and Naisha are best friends and classmates. They live in a small village in a valley in Norway. It’s almost Christmas and the days at school are filled with snowball fighting and rehearsing for the Christmas play.
Julie and Mette decide to find Naisha and her mother and help them. With a secret address as their only clue, Julie and Mette sneak off on the night train to the city. The problem is that Julie’s dad is a policeman; that Julie and Mette are only nine years old and that Oslo is a very long way from home.
Will they be able to get their best friend back?
Production Facts
- Original Title: Bestevenner
- Country of Origin: Norway
- Production Year: 2009
- First Release: October 30, 2009
- Language: Norwegian
- Genre: Children
- Format: 35 mm
- Duration: 79 min
- Director: Christian Lo
- Producer: Trine Aadalen Lo
- Cast: Regine Stokkevåg Eide, Johanna Girirpio, Live Marie Runde, Ane Dahl Torp | Anders Baasmo Christiansen, Jon Øigarden, Andrea Bræin Hovig, Jonathan Espolin Johnson, Terese Mungai, Tom Larsen
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ANE DAHL TORP as The girls' Teacher
Norwegian actress Ane Dahl Torp (b.1975) discovered her interest in acting in a children’s theatre, and later attended Statens Teaterhøgskole. Ane has acted in several Norwegian films such as Mother’s Elling (2003), Restless (2006), Pedersen: High School Teacher (2006), Cold Lunch (2008) and Dead Snow (2009). She has also played parts in many Norwegian TV series. Ane has been honoured with several national acting awards. She was Shooting Star in Norway in 2006 and was given the Liv Ullmann award in 2007. -
JON ØIGARDEN as Integration Minister ”Abrahamsen”
After graduating from theatre school, Norwegian actor Jon Øigarden (b. 1971) has acted in several films and plays. His film debut was in 1998 with a part in Weekend. He has participated in many award-winning TV series both as an actor and screenwriter. He has starred in Norwegian films such as Detector (2000), Pedersen: High School Teacher (2006) and lent his voice to the animated film Kurt Turns Evil (2008). -
ANDREA BRAEIN HOVIG as as Julie’s mom
Andrea Bræin Hovig (b. 1973) is both an actress, a singer and a writer of children’s books. Her theatre debut was in 1994 at Det Norske Teater where she also became part of the permanent cast in 1998. Among other plays and musicals she has starred in Romeo and Juliet, Chicago, and Figaro’s Wedding. Andrea’s film debut was as the main character ”Cathrine” in Ørjan Karlsen’s film The 7 deadly sins (2000). Since then she has starred in several Norwegian films such as Hold my Heart (2002) and House of Fools (2008). In 2003 Andrea released her first solo album Hjertetvinner, and in 2008 her children’s book Ville Wilma was published. -
JONATHAN ESPOLIN JOHNSON as as Julie’s dad
In 1996 Jonathan Espolin Johnson moved to the United States where he studied acting in New York and Hollywood. Jonathan has acted in two American films, he has guest starred in "Sex and the City" and "Third Watch" and has acted in more than 20 short films and plays. Jonathan now lives in Oslo and has worked with both television and commercials. His Norwegian film debut came with the feature Together (2009). The part as Julie’s father is his first big role in a Norwegian film.
Ever since I read an article that deeply touched me in my local newspaper in 2003,
RAFIKI has been the project closest to my heart. The article was about two girls who lost their best friend and classmate - who lived at the local refugee centre.
The universal story about loosing someone beloved is something everyone can relate to.
The fact that it’s an asylum seeker child is a situation many children in Norway have to deal with in their lives.
I wanted to make a film about having a friend, loosing a friend and doing everything in your power to get your friend back. A film about friendship and courage - and fighting for what you believe in.
Christian (b. 1977) studied film in England and now works for the Lillehammer-based production company Filmbin, the only Norwegian production company dedicated entirely to producing children’s and youth films.
Christian Lo has directed four award-winning short films for children; PUNCTURED (2001), IVER (2004), RAMP (2005) and BALUBA RUNA (2007). RAFIKI (BESTEVENNER) is Christian’s first feature film.