Winky's Horse

This is not only one of the better kiddie films showing at this year’s festival but it’s a fabulous little Christmas film to boot. It’s a thoroughly engaging story of a little Chinese girl who moves to Holland to be near her father, a restaurateur. Winky (Ebbie Tam, excellent) is finding it difficult to adapt to her new life but a chance encounter with a runaway pony inspires her to ask Santa Claus for her very own horse. The results are comical and touching, and a million miles from the sentimental claptrap that Hollywood always dishes up at Christmastime. Highly recommended.