The Boy Who Loved Trolls

The Boy Who Loved Trolls is a 1984 American made-for-television fantasy-adventure film produced for the PBS series WonderWorks.
The story was adapted by James A. DeVinney from a play by John Wheatcroft. The original play, entitled Ofoti, was telecast in 1966, on NET Playhouse, winning a National Television Award that year for best original television play.

Plot

12-year-old Paul would like nothing more than for the magical trolls and mermaids he reads about in his favorite story to be real. He goes searching for a real troll and finally meets one named Ofoeti, who has friends like Kalotte, a mermaid, and Socrates, a talking turtle. Soon the mermaid's home is threatened by an evil bridge builder. Paul also discovers that Ofoeti is dying and has less than a day to live. Paul must see if he has what it takes to risk everything and save his new friends.