Before the East Bloc went down, it used to be famous for its high production value movies for children, and this one is no exception.
Karli is a sailor aboard the MS Wismar which seems to cruise regularly between Rostock and fictitious Coccatuttibana, Africa, and good friends with Asina, an African schoolgirl with 21 braids, and promises her to bring a very special gift, which nobody in Africa has ever had. Only on the sailing day in Rostock he remembers the promise and searches for a suitable present, finally finding a snowman that some kids were just building. They agree to give it to him after he tells his story, and so the snowman is smuggled aboard, and into the refrigeration chamber. After various adventures, they manage to bring the gift to Asina, who enjoys it and takes it home.
Of course, with African weather unsuitable for snowmen, no refrigeration available, and even the last bottle of Freon empty, he soon melts violently, preparing to die (to be reincarnated as a cloud). Asina tries to save him, and finds a Soviet ship leaving for "Snowland" (Siberia?) which takes him aboard and thus saves him.
Many good shots of African locations and aboard the ship, including a Christmas party, a "snowman over board" situation, and an equator baptism. Nice animation, especially the snowman's dream scene.
Very memorable. The film was reissued on DVD with the Jan 5, 2012 SuperIllu magazine. I'm thankful that they did.
Karli is a sailor aboard the MS Wismar which seems to cruise regularly between Rostock and fictitious Coccatuttibana, Africa, and good friends with Asina, an African schoolgirl with 21 braids, and promises her to bring a very special gift, which nobody in Africa has ever had. Only on the sailing day in Rostock he remembers the promise and searches for a suitable present, finally finding a snowman that some kids were just building. They agree to give it to him after he tells his story, and so the snowman is smuggled aboard, and into the refrigeration chamber. After various adventures, they manage to bring the gift to Asina, who enjoys it and takes it home.
Of course, with African weather unsuitable for snowmen, no refrigeration available, and even the last bottle of Freon empty, he soon melts violently, preparing to die (to be reincarnated as a cloud). Asina tries to save him, and finds a Soviet ship leaving for "Snowland" (Siberia?) which takes him aboard and thus saves him.
Many good shots of African locations and aboard the ship, including a Christmas party, a "snowman over board" situation, and an equator baptism. Nice animation, especially the snowman's dream scene.
Very memorable. The film was reissued on DVD with the Jan 5, 2012 SuperIllu magazine. I'm thankful that they did.
