Winky's Horse

Winky's Horse
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Mischa Kamp
Screenplay by	Tamara Bos
Based on	Winky en het paard van Sinterklaas by Tamara Bos
Produced by	Burny Bos Michiel de Rooij Sabine Veenendaal
Starring	Ebbie Tam Aaron Wan Hanyi Han Jan Decleir
Cinematography	Lennert Hillege
Edited by	Sander Vos
Music by	Johan Hoogewijs
Production companies	Bos Bros. Film & TV Productions MMG Film & TV Production AVRO
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Pictures
Release dates	12 October 2005 (2005-10-12) (Netherlands) 26 October 2005 (2005-10-26) (Belgium)
Running time	95 minutes
Countries	Netherlands Belgium
Languages	Dutch Chinese
Box office	$3,193,767[1]

Winky's Horse (Dutch: Het Paard van Sinterklaas) is a 2005 Dutch-Belgian Sinterklaas drama film directed by Mischa Kamp, produced by Burny Bos and written by Tamara Bos, based on her book Winky en het paard van Sinterklaas.^[2] The film follows Winky Wong, who develops a fascination with horses amist her struggles with her family immigrating from China to the Netherlands, When she hears about the arrival of Sinterklaas, she decides to get one from him this season.

The film was released in the Netherlands by Warner Bros. Pictures on 12 October 2005, and received a re-release the following year. The film received multiple award nominations and wins, it won a Golden Calf award for Best Screenplay of a Feature Film and the film received a Golden Film for 100,000 visitors.^[3]

A sequel, Where Is Winky's Horse?, was released in 2007.

6-year-old Winky Wong and her mother immigrate from China to the Netherlands to help her father at his Chinese restaurant, where she meets delivery driver Samir and his girlfriend Sofie. While she's happy to see her father again, she struggles to adapt the language and general culture of the country.

After a humiliating experience at her first day of school, Winky encounters a pony named Saartje and befriends her owners Tante Cor and Oom Siem. She begins to visit the pony regularly and becomes adored by it. She later asks them if they're willing to teach her how to ride one. They're willing to give her lessons, but her parents refuse because they think it's dangerous for her to ride one. In school, she learns about the Sinterklaas holiday and traditions.

Winky's mother later gets a call about her sick mother and returns to China. Saddened by her absence, Winky visits Saartje for confort. However, when she later visits her again with her friend Maaike, Siem informs them that the horse was euthanized due to her sickness and old age. Winky is devastated and heartbroken by this.

A few weeks later, her class announces that Sinterklaas and his Zwarte Pieten would be arriving in the village and they're invited for the annual parade. Winky, still grieving over Saartje and knowing she won't ever get a horse from her parents, decides that she should ask one from him and draws a picture of a horse for him. Samir brings Winky to the parade after her father refuses, but fails to deliver the drawing.

After another attempt where her father nearly trips over a shoe meant for Zwarte Piet, Winky sees a poster announcing that Sinterklaas would be attending at a department store in the city. In the store, Winky, assuming it is the real Sinterklaas, approaches him and asks if she could get a horse. The department store Sint tells her that she should wait till December 5, and promises that everything will be alright, When the day arrives, Winky's mother returns home.

Sinterklaas makes an appearance at her school to hand out gifts for her classmates. When it's her turn, her expectations were shattered when he gives her a stuffed dog instead. Upset, Winky bursts out at him and leaves the classroom. While she leaves, she notices a horse has been strapped to her bicycle. Winky interprets that it's the Sint's gift and rides away on it.

Later, Sinterklaas discovers that his horse Amerigo has gone missing. Realizing that Winky took it, he rushes to her home and eventually finds her, explaining that it's a misunderstanding. Winky refuses to return him, but after a conversation with Samir, she gives Amerigo back to him. The next day, Sinterklaas visits Winky and tells her he decided that she's allowed take care of Amerigo at Cor and Siem's equestrian facility while he's in Spain. Winky, happily riding Amerigo while Sinterklaas and her parents wave, finally understands what The Netherlands and Sinterklaas meant to herself and her parents.

Variety wrote a positive review but stated "Kidpic 'Winky's Horse' reps a delightful girl-meets-horse story, aimed at tiny tots. Despite its charms, this Holland-set Christmastime fable will have a rough ride finding offshore buyers, even if redubbed for export, given its intensely Dutch frame of reference."^[4] DVD Verdict was mixed in their review, as they felt that "It's not a magical tale of whimsy and magical whimsical magic, but it is a sweet slice of character drama. Little Ebbie Tam is a sweetheart who is in nearly every scene which gives her plenty to do, but she's up to it. Of course the overwrought dubbing detracts from the effectiveness—a good amount actually—but my, what a smile!"^[5]

• Official website (Wayback Machine) (in Dutch).
• Winky's Horse at IMDb
• Winky's Horse at AllMovie