I Draw, Therefore I Am (2009)

The documentary describes the strong-minded and fearless Estonian Ilon Wikland's childhood and growth towards adolescent and independence. We learn about her life in Tallinn and Haapsalu, as she tells us about her estranged relation to her parents and how her grandparents ended up taking care of her. Her passion for playing lively with her friends and dog Tito is established with originals stills, archive footage, re-enactments and usage of her own drawings. She explains how the war affected her and other people's life in Estonia. Stills and archive footage of the time display how Ilon is eventually sent alone to Sweden as a refugee half a year after the destructive bombing of Tallinn in 1944. Helped by her artist aunt in Stockholm she is inspired to get herself an art education. Later she encounters her coming employer and workmate for the following 40 years, Astrid Lindgren. Ilon's stories about her work with Astrid Lindgren unfolds the exciting creative processes of children book classics like The Brother's Lionheart and Karlsson-on-the-roof. The film also deals with Ilon's Estonian identity today and how she experienced visiting Estonia together with Astrid after a break of almost fifty years.