In the upcoming film MOOMINS ON THE RIVIERA, audiences will delve back into the charming tales of Tove Jansson’s classic comics. For many of us The Moomins are a part of our childhood, but how much do we really know about our favourite Finnish family? Take a look at these 10 facts you may not have known about The Moomins.
1. Tove Jansson, Finnish Moomin creator, started making ‘Moomintroll’ paintings in 1934.
2. The UK was first introduced to The Moomins in 1954, in London’s The Evening News as beautiful comic strips.
3. It wasn’t until the 1960s and 70s that most of The Moomins books in the main series were translated into English and brought to UK readers.
4. Naantali, Finland, is home to its very own ‘Moominworld’ – a family wonderland dedicated to our favourite cartoon family. There are now plans for a second Moominworld to be opened in Japan later in 2015.
5. The Moomins even have an opera! In 1974 The Moomin Opera premiered in Helsinki.
6. 2014 marked 100 years since the birth of Moomins creator, Tove Jansson.
7. The Moomins were based on real-life characters from Jansson’s life.
8. According to Jansson, the very first Moomin she ever drew was in reaction to an argument with her brother. She drew the “ugliest creature imaginable” on the toilet wall. This creature later morphed into a plumper and more friendly creature – the Moomin we know today. Jansson originally called the creature a Snork.
9. Opened in 1987, Tampere Art Museum in Finland is home to ‘Moominvalley’, where numerous pieces of Moomin original art are displayed. It even features a ‘Moomin House’.
10. In the 1990s, Telecable produced 104 half-hour Moomin animations, which were sold to 60 countries. That’s 52 hours of Moomin action!
MOOMINS ON THE RIVIERA opens in UK cinemas from 22nd May 2015.
