Karla and Nordahl

Six-year-old Karla has the sweetest big brother she could hope for. Nordahl loves cuddles, and he’s a fun playmate. But he also needs lots of care, because he has epilepsy and learning difficulties. That means that Karla has a lot of responsibilities for someone so young.

It’s like he’s a big brother and a little brother at the same time, explains the daughter of filmmaker Elisabeth Aspelin. By the same token, she’s both his big sister and his little sister. It’s touching to see how this smart little girl supports her big brother. But it’s not all joy and harmony: Nordahl can be a bit boring to play with, and too clingy. It makes Karla angry sometimes. At moments like that, all she wants is a big sister who doesn't have epilepsy.

But those moods soon fade. Karla and Nordahl is about the disarming closeness between two young children. Sometimes their relationship is just like any other brother and sister’s, while other times it’s very different indeed.