Céline Roustan
In 2017 (2019 on Short of the Week), Manivald was shaken to his core when a hot handyman (or should that be handywolf?) named Toomas came into his house/life to fix something. For those who have seen Manivald, did you ever wonder about Toomas’ backstory? Director Chintis Lundgren answers that question with Toomas teispool metsikute huntide orgu (Toomas Beneath the Valley of the Wild Wolves), a prequel to her wildly successful short. If you’re a fan of the original film, you won’t be disappointed, and for those of you new to this world, you now have the chance to catch two installments in the wild universe Lundgren created.
In Toomas Beneath the Valley of the Wild Wolves, we learn that the titular wolf actually has a family, two kids and a pregnant wife, but the most surprising thing is that he starts off with a corporate job. While the animation style, the colors and the fact that the characters are animals give the film the feel of a comedy, it actually has dark and topical themes, but it is structured around one thing: the love and acceptance between Toomas and his wife.
Viivi and Toomas each face their own challenges in Lundgren’s short
Lundgren and writing partner Draško Ivezić have a sharp grasp on society and translate that perspective in the screenplay through an absurdist lens. The lightness of the style compliments the narrative, which is deeper than it initially seems. Toomas and his wife are a “normal” couple, facing life’s challenges, but the character of the “hot wolf” is really fleshed out in this installment and it is really compelling to see the shame and guilt he carries around, along with his sense of responsibility. The shower scene was particularly powerful, especially since the gender roles are reversed in this scenario.
The film forces its two main characters to reinvent themselves. Viivi, in the midst of her third pregnancy and has to find herself again, while Toomas needs to find a new job to provide for his family. In a very realistic way, given what they end up doing, secrets start building up. While it is definitely entertaining to see them in those situations, again with this visual style, the secrets they keep from each other also create an engaging ticking time bomb. Once both are found out, will their love and marriage survive? Once more, Toomas’ really grounds the film emotionally with his deeply touching confession.
After losing his job, Toomas has to find new ways to support his family.
There is a real heartfelt sweetness to this narrative and the characters. While it is absurd, it never feels farcical. The sexual element turns out to be quite empowering and really shows how strong the bond is between Viivi and Toomas and how supportive of each other they are. It actually turns out to be a very modern love story!
Toomas Beneath the Valley of the Wild Wolves, just like Manivald, has had a very successful festival run with notable stops at TIFF 2019, followed by Clermont-Ferrand and the Palm Springs ShortFest in 2020. Lundgren and Ivezić are currently expanding this universe they built by developing a series called Manivald and the Absinthe Rabbits. Lundgren adds: “Toomas is also an important character in it”.