F I N N I S H F I L M S

Feature Films August 2 Body of Water 4 Brothers 6 Dirty Bomb 8 Garbage Prince 10

The Good Son 12

Le Havre 14 Hella W 16 The Hustlers 18 Iris 20 A Journey to Eden 22 Kiss of Evil 24 Lapland Odyssey 26

Life for Sale 28

Mr. Hayhill 30

Priest of Evil 32

Princess 34

Rare Exports 36

Run Sister Run 38

Silence 40 Sixpack 42

The Storage 44

Under the North Star II 46

Where Once We Walked 48

Feature-Length Documentaries Barzakh 50

Canned Dreams 52

A Director’s Journey to Humanness – The Story of Mikko Niskanen 54

Mama Africa 56

Paavo – A Life in Five Courses 58

Rules of Single Life 60

Sodankylä Forever/The Century of

the Cinema | Sodankylä Forever 62

Steam of Life 64

The Unknown Woman 66

Vesku from Finland 68

Top 10 Films in Finland 2010 70

Domestic Films 2010 71

Facts in Figures 72

Finnish Feature Films 2005–2010 73 Film Festivals in Finland 2011 76 International Sales Companies 77

Useful Addresses 78

Distributors in Finland 80

Producers 82

FINNISH FEA TURE FILMS 2011

August

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Director: Oskari Sipola

Script_{: Oskari Sipola, based on an}

original idea of Oskari Sipola and Harri Paananen

Cinematography: Joonas Pulkkanen

Editing_{: Antti Reikko}

Sound design: Karri Niinivaara

Music_{: Joel Melasniemi}

Set design: Heini Kervinen

Costumes: _{Jenni Rousu}

Cast: Eppu Pastinen, Lina Turkama,

Niina Koponen, Zagros Manuchar, Pihla Viitala

Producer: _{Jesse Fryckman}

Production company: Bronson Club Oy

Production support_{: The Finnish}

Film Foundation

Financing TV companies_{: Nelonen}

Distributor in Finland: Nordisk Film

www.elokuu.fi

19-year old August, Aku to his mates, graduates high school only to fi nd himself facing a great emptiness. With his girlfriend, parents and friends all leaving the city, it promises to be the dull-est summer ever. But then, during the Midsummer holiday in a half-empty club, Aku meets a beautiful girl named Juli. Juli asks Aku for a ride to her older sister’s wedding in eastern Finland and Aku agrees, completely unaware of what he’s getting himself into. August is a coming-of-age road movie with beauty and a twist.

Oskari Sipola

Oskari Sipola (b. 1984) has been making fi lms since the age of fi ve. He is currently fi nishing his Master’s degree in fi lm directing at the Aalto University School of Art and Design in Helsinki. August is his graduate fi lm as well as his fi rst feature. He has previously directed several award winning short fi lms, including

Our Little Brother, Enemies Within, Wings and

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Joona Tena

In 2005 Joona Tena’s fi rst two feature fi lms went into production;

FC Venus, a romantic comedy, which he co-wrote and directed, and

Unna & Nook, of which he wrote the original screenplay. FC Venus was

a box offi ce hit, and it has been distributed throughout 10 territories, worldwide. It was also remade in Germany in 2006.

As a fi lm director Tena is known as an entertaining storyteller and gifted visualist. In addition to feature fi lms, he has directed over 200 episodes of various drama series for every broadcaster in Finland and he has won the Venla-Award for Best Drama Series in 2008.

Body of Water

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Premiere: October 7, 2011

Director_{: Joona Tena}

Script: Pekka Lehtosaari, Joona Tena,

Mikko Tenhunen

Cinematography: Kjell Lagerroos

Editing_{: Benjamin Mercer}

Sound design: Juha Hakanen

Music_{: Panu Aaltio}

Set design: Päivi Kettunen

Costumes_{: Anne-Maria Ylitapio}

Cast: Krista Kosonen, Peter Franzén, Kai Lehtinen, Kari Hietalahti, Viljami Nojonen

Producer_{: Mikko Tenhunen}

Executive producer: Marko Röhr

Production company_:

MRP Matila Röhr Productions

Production support_{: The Finnish Film}

Foundation

Financing TV companies_{: Nelonen}

Distributor in Finland: Nordisk Film

www.matilarohr.com

Julia is a determined lawyer in her thirties, whose job takes her to a remote rural village. While there, she fi nds herself the target of frightening and mysterious attacks. She begins to suspect that the attacks are connected to an old legend about a spirit that lives in a lake. Until she fi nds out the truth about the village, the spirit, and her family’s history, Julia must defend both herself and her child against the frightening threat.

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Mika Kaurismäki

Mika Kaurismäki’s fi rst fi lm The Liar (Valehtelija, 1980) marked the begin-ning of cinema for the Kaurismäki brothers and started new era in Finnish cinema. He has since directed fi lms all around the world. His work includes, e.g. the fi ctional fi lms The Worthless _{(Arvottomat 1982), Rosso (1985),} Amazon

(1990), LA Without a Map (1998), The House of Branching Love (2009) and the documentaries Tigrero – A Film That Was Never Made _{(1994, with Samuel}

Fuller and Jim Jarmusch), Brasileirinho (2005) and Sonic Mirror (2007). In 2010, he made two documenties: one of a legendary Finnish actor,

Vesku from Finland (Vesku Suomesta, 2010) and the other of South Africa’s

icon, Miriam Makeba, Mama Africa _(2011).

Brothers

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Dolby Digital | 88’ | Premiere: March 18, 2011

Director, editing: _{Mika Kaurismäki}

Script: Mika Kaurismäki,

Sami Keski-Vähälä

Cinematography: Tahvo Hirvonen

Sound Design_{: Pietari Koskinen}

Music: Nieminen & Litmanen

Set Design_{: Markku Pätilä}

Cast: Kari Heiskanen, Pertti Sveholm, Timo Torikka, Liisa Mustonen, Mari Perankoski, Vesa Vierikko ja Esko Salminen

Producer: Mika Kaurismäki

Production company_:

Marianna Films Oy

Production support_:

The Finnish Film Foundation

Distributor in Finland_{: FS Film Oy}

A satirical portrait of a reunion between three brothers with their father to celebrate his 70th

birthday. Ivar (51, writer), Mitja (49, fi lm producer), and Torsti (51, caretaker) are brothers who have a mutual father, Paavo (70), but are all from different mothers. Their conversations unfold to reveal painful memories of their past and unpleasant truths about their father, who they all blame for the failures in their lives.

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Elias Koskimies

Elias Koskimies started out in television, as a writer on the famous Have I

Got News For You satire show. He won notoriety for writing and directing

over fi fty episodes of the highly controversial political satire The

Presi-dents Cabin. He then went on to write and direct the acclaimed television

movie Beauty Sleep (2010) about three raging drag queens, one homo-phobic politician and his pregnant wife and a messy kidnapping.

Koskimies has also written the satirical book Korusähkeitä (2010).

Dirty Bomb is Koskimies’ fi rst feature fi lm and is, at the moment,

develop-ing new projects both for TV and cinema.

Dirty Bomb

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Director, script_{: Elias Koskimies}

Cinematography: Hena Blomberg

Editing_{: Iikka Hesse}

Sound design: Pasi Peni

Music: _{Kepa Lehtinen}

Set design: Vilja Katramo,

Okku Rahikainen, Tytti Tiri

Costumes: Ninni Lahtinen

Cast_{: Iida Lampela, Jukka Puotila,}

Ilkka Villi, Niina Herala, Jussi Vatanen

Producer: _{Jarkko Hentula}

Production company: Juonifi lmi Oy

Production support_:

The Finnish Film Foundation

Financing TV companies_{: YLE TV1}

Distributor in Finland: FS Film Oy

International Sales_{: TBA}

Mirccu, 28, works as the PR manager for a record company. Expecting a raise, Mirccu is shocked when her boss, dramatic record mogul Martin Bakka, threatens to sack her. Though he tells her, in no uncertain terms, that she is a disappointment and lacks the key to success, Martin gives her one last chance to fi gure it all out.

Mirccu and her boyfriend Roba, a celebrity seeking, mediocre footballer, ponder if the good times are really over and will they do what’s necessary in order to succeed.

Opportunity presents itself in the form of the record company’s new secret project, code named; “Dirty Bomb”. Behind the code name is a 15-year-old girl, ruthless teenage sensation, PD. Mirccu must work as her assistant and sacrifi ce everything for the project – her reputation, honor, soul and, of course, her boyfriend. These are the keys to her success. But is the sweet and caring Mirccu ready to play the game?

DCP, 35mm | 1:1.85 | Dolby Stereo | 90’ | Premiere: October 28, 2011

FINNISH FEA TURE FILMS 2011

Garbage Prince

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With no destination planned or an explanation why, Jed (19) walks out on his former life and boards a train. Happenstance brings him to a small eastern town where he soon comes face to face with the daily rigors of independent life. Coping becomes a challenge for him, almost to the point of obsession. Of all the people in town, Jed seems to constantly run across the prickly and quick-witted Lulu (17). The girl knows how to party hard and Jed often has to look after her or take her home while delivering his newspapers at night. They despise one another and Lulu tells Jed outright that he’s a loser and “just another idiot in town”. A big dog, Jesse-James, insists on sharing the misery of Jed’s life, choosing him for his master regardless of Jed’s feelings on the subject. Jed perseveres and when the bitter cold of autumn arrives, he gets a job as an assistant garbage collector. Lulu turns up more and more at Jed’s place and their relationship gradually, without either of them admitting it, changes from a bickering battle of wills to friendship and ultimately to love.

Director_{: Raimo O Niemi}

Script: Juuli Niemi

Cinematography: Kari Sohlberg

Editing: Jukka Nykänen

Sound design: Joonas Jyrälä,

Mats Andersen

Music: Olav Öyehaug

Set design: Pirjo Rossi

Cast: Jon-Jon Geitel, Pihla Maalismaa, Heikki Silvennoinen

Producer_{: Markku Flink}

Production company:

Periferia Productions (FI)

Co-producers: Lars Löge/

Flimmer Film (NOR)

Production support_{: The Finnish Film}

Foundation, Norwegian Film Institute, Nordic Film och TV Fond, Eurimages, Church’s Media Foundation (FI), East Finland Film Commission/North Carelia University of Applied Sciences

Financing TV companies: TV Nelonen (FI)

Distributor in Finland:

Buena Vista International Finland

International sales: TBA

www.garbageprince.fi

Raimo O Niemi

The director Raimo O Niemi (b. 1948) is an inter nationally known director and screenplay writer. His career began in the 70’s and includes several feature fi lms and tv-series. Raimo specializes in family fi lms. His recent family feature fi lms, Mystery of Wolf _{(2006) and}

Tommy and the Wild Cat (1998), the winner of the Chicago International

Children’s Film Festival in 1999, have been awarded internationally and were box offi ce hits in Finland. Both fi lms have met with success around the world.

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Zaida Bergroth

The director Zaida Bergroth (b. 1977) is a young and promising new talent in Finnish cinema. She has directed a number of award-winning shorts (e.g. Glass Jaw, Heavy Metal) and the recent feature fi lm Last Cowboy Standing (Skavabölen pojat, Flash Forward Award at Pusan Interna-tional Film Festival 2009). The screenplay and sound design of Last Cowboy Standing won Jussi awards in 2010.

The Good Son

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Director: Zaida Bergroth

Script_{: Jan Forsström,}

Zaida Bergroth

Cinematography_{: Anu Keränen}

Editing: Jan Forsström

Sound design_{: Micke Nyström}

Music: Mi and L’au

Set design_:

Okku Nuutilainen, Tytti Tiri

Costumes_{: Sari Suominen}

Cast: Elina Knihtilä, Samuli Niitymäki, Eero Aho, Anna Paavilainen, Eetu Julin

Producer_{: Elli Toivoniemi,}

Mark Lwoff, Misha Jaari

Production company_{: Oy Bufo Ab}

Production support:

The Finnish Film Foundation

Financing TV companies: YLE

Distributor in Finland_:

Buena Vista International Finland

www.hyvapoika.fi

After a scandalous premiere, actress Leila escapes to the old family summerhouse with her two sons. The explosive and arrogant Ilmari, her older son, is Leila’s protector and confi dant.

The peaceful vacation is disrupted when Leila invites her artist friends over for a rowdy week-end. After the party Leila invites one of the guests, Aimo, the writer, to stay. Ilmari is immediately hostile towards the intruder. As Leila begins to fall in love, llmari’s begins to suspect that Aimo might be dangerous.

35mm, DCP | 1:1.85 | 5.1, Stereo | 87’ | Premiere: March 25, 2011

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Aki Kaurismäki

Aki Kaurismäki was born in 1957.

Le Havre

Dolby Digital | 94’ | Premiere: September 9, 2011

Director, script: Aki Kaurismäki

Sound Design_{: Tero Malmberg}

Cinematography, editing: Timo Linnasalo

Set Design_{: Wouter Zoon}

Costumes: Fred Cambier

Cast_{: André Wilms, Kati Outinen,}

Blondin Miguel

Producer_{: Aki Kaurismäki}

Production company: Sputnik Oy

Co-Producers_{: Pyramide Productions,}

Pandora Film, Arte France Cinéma, ZDF/Arte

Production support: The Finnish Film

Foundation, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, Le Centre National du Cinéma et de l’Image Animée, Cinécinéma, La Région Haute-Normandie

Financing TV company_{: Canal +,}

ARTE France, YLE Co-Productions

Distributor in Finland_{: Future Film Oy}

International sales:

The Match Factory GmbH

Scandinavian sales:

Willmar Andersson Film AB

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Juha Wuolijoki

Hella W is brought to the big screen

by award winning director Juha Wuolijoki. His previous fi lm,

Christ-mas Story, _{was sold to more than 120}

countries with theatrical releases in several territories including China, Spain, Poland, Canada, Greece and Scandinavia.

Hella W

Dolby Digital 5.1 | 82’15’’ | Premiere: January 28, 2011

Director, adaptation: Juha Wuolijoki

Original script_{: Outi Nyytäjä}

Cinematography: Peter Flinckenberg

Editing_{: Harri Ylönen}

Music: Panu Aaltio

Art director: _{Kari Kankaanpää}

Make-up design: Riikka Virtanen

Costume design: _{Anu Pirilä}

Cast: Tiina Weckström, Hannu- Pekka Björkman, Matleena Kuusniemi, Maria Heiskanen, Antti Litja, Pirkka-Pekka Petelius, Svante Martin, Petri Manninen

Producer_{: Juha Wuolijoki}

Production company:

Snapper Films Oy

Production support:

The Finnish Film Foundation, Nordisk Film & TV Fond, MEDIA

Financing TV company_{: YLE TV1}

Distributor in Scandinavia: Sandrew

Metronome Distribution Finland Oy

International sales: tbc

www.snapperfilms.com/en

Hella W is a drama-thriller recounting the true story of its title character Hella Wuolijoki; the

internationally acclaimed businesswoman, playwright and politician. In the 1920s Hella made millions, wrote scathing political plays and was under careful observation of British Intelligence, the Soviet Union and the Finnish Secret Service to name but a few. Now, as the events of the Sec-ond World War start to unfold, Hella fi nds herself facing the same task as the Finnish agent put on her tail; to fi nd out who she really is, and what hides behind the multi-faceted mask of Hella W – writer, millionaire, politician and spy.

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Lauri Nurkse

Lauri (b. 1978) graduated in 2005 from the Helsinki University of Art and Design, where each year only 3 students out of hundreds of applicants are accepted. While studying, he also started a career in acting, including the feature fi lms Cyclomania and Bad Boys – The true

stroy, which garnered international recognition. His fi rst feature fi lm

as a director, the critically acclaimed Playing Solo, was a box offi ce hit gathering almost 200 000 viewers in Finland.

Besides working on tv series and feature fi lms, Lauri has directed several commercials and music videos.

The Hustlers

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cinemascope | Dolby Digital 5.1 | 100’ | Released: December 25, 2010

Director_{: Lauri Nurkse}

Script: Katri Manninen

Cinematography_{: Henri Blomberg}

Editing: Aleksi Raij

Sound design_{: Vesa Meriläinen}

Music: Pessi Levanto

Set design_{: Christer Andersson}

Costumes: Ella Brigatti

Cast_{: Mikko Leppilampi,}

Antti Luusuanniemi, Pihla Viitala

Producer_{: Jesse Fryckman}

Production company:

Bronson Club Oy

Production support:

The Finnish Film Foundation, Media, Nordisk Film & TV Fond

Financing TV companies_{: Nelonen}

Distributor in Finland: Nordisk Film

www.veijarit.tv

The Hustlers is a ruggedly urbane buddy comedy about the friendship of two young men and their

desperate attempt to live every moment to its fullest. Wanting to avoid normal life and feel forever young, Saku and Ässä egg each other on to ever wilder and funnier antics. The hustlers charm women with their wit, solve problems like school boys, and don’t waste time worrying about the future.

But everything changes when Ässä meets Anna, the love of his life. Love changes Ässä’s life values and Saku is upstaged. Behind every relationship is one forgotten friend, and so Saku has to fi nd new ways of getting his friend back.

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Ulrika Bengts

Ulrika Bengts (b. 1962) is a Finnish fi lm and theater director. She is a graduate of the Swedish Film School (Dramatiska Institutet) in Stockholm and has directed over 20 short fi lms, television-series and documentaries.

Iris is her fi rst feature fi lm and one of the fi rst Swedish spoken children’s movies ever made in Finland.

Iris

35mm, Digital Copy | 1:2.35 cinema scope | Dolby Digital | 90’ | Premiere: September 9, 2011

Director: Ulrika Bengts

Script: Annina Enckell

Cinematography: Robert Nordström

Editing: Tuomo Leino

Sound design_{: Risto Iissalo}

Music_{: Peter Hägerstrand}

Set design: Katarina Lume,

Cian Bornebunch

Costumes: Riitta Peteri

Cast: Agnes Koskinen, Maria Salomaa, Tobias Zilliacus, Marika Parkkomäki, Magnus Krepper, Emmi Pesonen

Producer: Mats Långbacka

Production company:

Långfi lm Productions Finland Oy

Co-Producers_{: Jon Lindström /}

Street Movies Ab (Sweden)

Production support: The Finnish Film

Foundation, Swedish Cultural Founda-tion in Finland, Konstsamfundet, Swedish Film Institut

Financing TV company: YLE FST5

Distributor in Finland: Sandrew

Metro-nome Distribution Finland Oy

International sales_{: Oy Interprod Ab}

The year is 1890. 8-year-old Iris lives in Stockholm with her artist mother, Ester. Precocious and experienced in the ways of the world, Iris feels at home among her mother’s modern artist friends. Now she is waiting for the big adventure to begin; Ester´s exhibition in Paris.

On the day of the departure, Iris is shocked to learn that she will not be going to Paris. When her proposed caregivers are unable to look after her as planned, she is sent by mail aboard a boat to Åland; a place she knows nothing about, but where she will learn to know her roots and fi nd the childhood she’s never had.

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Rax Rinnekangas

Rax Rinnekangas (b. 1954) is a Finnish fi lmmaker, author and photo artist. His last major work, Five Master Houses of The World is a fi ve part hour long documentary on modernist architecture throughout different continents (2010). He has been awarded at the 9th Ethnofest in Berlin and at the 25th FIFA Festival in Montreal. He has published over 25 works: novels, poems, essays, short stories and books on photography in Finland, Spain and France. Among other prizes, Rax Rinnekangas has been award-ed the State Prize for Photography (1989), the State Prize for Literature (1992) and the Art Prize of the Province Varsinais-Suomi (2003).

A Journey to Eden

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Dolby Digital | 95’ |

Premiere: September 23, 2011

Director, script, cinematography:

Rax Rinnekangas

Editing: Jari Innanen

Sound Design_{: Heikki Innanen}

Music: Pascal Gaigne

Cast_{: Nacho Angulo, Hugo Wirz,}

Ramon Zuriarrain, Celia de Juan Hatchard, Saana Vuorenmaa

Producer: Rax Rinnekangas

Production company_{: Bad Taste Ltd.}

Co-Producers:

Pako Ruiz / Sonora Estudios (Spain)

Production support: The Finnish Film

Foundation, Zumaquera Films (Spain)

Distributor in Finland:

Pirkanmaan Elokuvakeskus

A Journey to Eden is the story of two male artists travelling in winter through the famous La Rioja

wine-growing region of Northern Spain. One of the men, Ignacio – a Basque modern music com-poser living in Finland – is weighed down by the traumatic guilt of his daughter’s car accident in Helsinki that left her in a coma. The other man, Comaz – a Swiss painter living in Spain – suffers from a creative block after the hand model for his drawings has announced she no longer wishes to continue. The men view religious paintings of hands displayed in churches and monasteries. Their travels ultimately bring them to the chapel of the renowned Remelluri wine estate at La Rioja Alavesa where the Basque painter Vicente Ameztoy created his own visual interpretation of Adam and Eve’s last moment of happiness in Eden. While gazing at the painting, the travellers ex-perience a spiritual epiphany about the meaning of forgiveness which paves the way for a chance of a better future.

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Anders Engström

Anders Engström (b. 1962) studied at the London International Film School. His breakthrough came with the drama series Stories From a

Small Town produced by Academy Award winning producer Jörn Donner.

He became a successful director in Sweden and directed high profi le crime and thriller projects such as Anna Holt Polis,Insider, Wallander,

Irene Huss _and Morden_{. Anders Engström was awarded the Venla as}

Best Director for his mini-series Isabella.

Lauri Törhönen

Lauri Törhönen (b. 1947) has made a long career in the service of the Finnish cinema both as a professor in the University of Art and Design Helsinki and a director of several feature length fi lms for tv and theatri-cal release since the late 1970s. His fi lm Abandoned Houses, Empty Homes

(2001) was awarded OCIC award at Mar del Plata fi lm festival in Argentina.

The Kiss of Evil

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95’ | Premiere: January 6, 2011

Director: Anders Engström

Script: Katariina Souri, Mika

Karttunen, Anders Engström

Cinematography: Jari Mutikainen F.C.S

Editing_{: Mikko Sippola}

Sound design_{: Panu Riikonen}

Music: DJ Slow, Samuli Laiho

Set design: Betsy Ångerman-Engström

Costumes: Marjatta Nissinen

Cast: Antti Reini, Anu Sinisalo, Outi Mäenpää, Mikko Nousiainen, Jasper Pääkkönen, Ilkka Heiskanen, Maria Järvenhelmi, Eppu Salminen, Mikko Leppilampi, Matti Onnismaa, Ville Virtanen, Iina Kuustonen

Producer_{: Jukka Helle, Markus Selin}

Production company: Solar Films, Inc.

Production support:

The Finnish Film Foundation, West Finland Film Comission

Financing TV companies:

MTV3 Finland

Distributor in Finland: Nordisk Film

International sales: TrustNordisk

www.solarfilms.com

Jussi Vares is a private investigator struggling to make ends meet with trivial shadowing jobs. Vares’s daily life becomes more exciting when the family of a brutally murdered young girl hire him to investigate the unsolved case. Vares is somewhat suspicious of the fact that the mother of the slained girl is the sister of his lover, a busty married woman named Laila. Vares does not wish to mix his private life with his work, but Laila only fi nds the increased risk of getting caught more exciting. As he delves deeper into the case, Vares soon realizes that the culprit must be a close acquaintance of hers or, at the very least, someone with a personal motive.

25

Also coming up in the Vares-series (2011–2012):

Gambling Chip (Uhkapelimerkki) directed by Lauri Törhönen

The Girls of April _{(Huhtikuun tytöt) directed by Lauri Törhönen}

Tango of Darkness (Pimeyden tango) directed by Lauri Törhönen

Garter Snake _{(Sukkanauhakäärme) directed by Lauri Törhönen}

The Path of the Righteous Men (Kaidan tien kulkijat)

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Dome Karukoski

Karukoski (b. 1976 in Cyprus) is the most active young fi lm director in Finland. His debut feature was Beauty and the Bastard _{(Tyttö sinä olet tähti, 2005), and}

after that followed The Home of Dark Butterflies (Tummien perhosten koti, 2008), which was Finland’s entry for the Oscars. Forbidden Fruit _(Kielletty

hedelmä, 2009) opened in the competition at Gothenburg International Film Festival. The festival carrier after that has included Karlovy Vary, Cairo and Festroia, where it won three prizes, including Best Film.

Lapland Odyssey

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1:2,35 | Dolby | 100’ | Released: October 15, 2010

Director Dome Karukoski

Script: Pekko Pesonen

Cinematography: Pini Hellstedt

Editing: Harri Nykänen

Music: _{Lance Hogan}

Set design: _{Pirjo Rossi}

Costumes: Anna Vilppunen

Cast: Jussi Vatanen, Jasper Pääkkönen,

Timo Lavikainen, Pamela Tola, Kari Ketonen, Miia Nuutila

Producer: Aleksi Bardy

Production company: Helsinki -fi lmi Oy

Co-producers: Ripple World Pictures,

Dominic Wright and Jacqueline Kerrin & Anagram produktion AB, Martin Persson

Production support: The Finnish

Film Foundation, Irish Film Board, NFTF, Swedish Film Institute, Film i Väst, Media Plus, SVT

Financing TV company: YLE TV1

Distributor in Finland: Sandrew

Metronome Distribution Finland Oy Ab

International sales: Yellow Affair

www.napapiirinsankarit.fi

A comedy about three long-term unemployed young men, living in Lapland, who set out on a quest to fi nd a digital receiver, a digi box, on a wintery Friday night. Lapland is rough, cold and suicide kills more than traffi c. The sun almost never comes up, all the women have left to work in the south and the men stay to drink, take care of reindeers or hang themselves.

Our main character, Janne, is exceptional: he has a girlfriend, Inari. But he hasn’t managed to get a digi box until fi nally Inari won’t take any more explanations and threatens to move to south, unless he returns with a digi box by the morning. The quest is a tough one, since the boys are broke and Rovaniemi, where Janne’s father-in-law has a home appliance store, is 200 kilometers away.

As the night proceeds, the boys try to operate an illegal taxi business, make a hole in the ice for a “ladies’ under water rugby team”, and slaughter a reindeer for a group of noveau riche Russians. Each attempt to earn money ends up worse than the other. As the night approaches morning, Janne dares to challenge all odds in order to get the digi box – even death. In the end, the quest is not about Inari – never mind the digi box – but a desire that has woken within Janne to, for once in his life, fi nish something he has begun. It is a quest for a man to fi nd his dignity and belief in himself.

Pho to : T uu k k a Y löne n

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Life for Sale

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105’ | Premiere: Autumn 2011

“Let’s pretend we’re doing well.”

Sami Luoto is a family man in his forties with a secret dream. He wants to succeed like his father and build a fancy house for himself, his wife and their teenage daughter.

Life for Sale _{is a dramatic thriller of one unlucky man’s descent into disaster. It examines}

con-temporary social undertones such as; what is the measure of success? Can love be measured? Can a man fail totally and then pick himself up and try again?

Despite its challenging subject, the movie – based on the upcoming novel of the same title by Marko Leino - is full of humor with an ending that offers hope to all.

Director: Aleksi Mäkelä

Script_{: Marko Leino}

Cinematography: Pini Hellstedt F.S.C

Editing_{: Kimmo Taavila}

Sound design: Jyrki Rahkonen

Music_{: Lauri Porra}

Set design: Pirjo Rossi

Costumes_{: Tiina Kaukanen}

Cast: Samuli Edelmann, Katariina Kaitue, Kerli Kyllönen, Santeri Kinnu-nen, Kristo SalmiKinnu-nen, Aake Kalliala, Petra Frey, Tommi Korpela, Aku Hirviniemi, Taisto Oksanen, Niina Nurminen, Pekka Huotari

Producers: Markus Selin, Jukka Helle

Production company_{: Solar Films, Inc.}

Production support: The Finnish Film

Foundation, City of Vaasa

Financing TV companies: MTV3 Finland

Distributor in Finland_{: Nordisk Film}

International sales: TrustNordisk

www.solarfilms.com

Aleksi Mäkelä

A self-taught movie director, Aleksi Mäkelä(b. 1969) is the most successful of the modern era Finnish directors: the total domestic audience of his movies in theatrical release is over 2 million. The biggest domestic box offi ce hit since the eighties, Bad Boys

(Pahat pojat), drew a phenomenal audience of 615,000 in only 5 months. Regardless of the genre, the common factors in Mäkelä’s movies are a masculine point-of-view, fast-paced action and a boyish sense of humor.

Life for Sale (Kotirauha) is his tenth feature fi lm. His debut The

Romanov Stones (Romanovin kivet) was released in 1993.

Besides movies, Mäkelä has directed hundreds of hours of TV series, commercials and music videos. Aleksi Mäkelä was given the State Art Prize for Cinema 2009.

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Matti Grönberg

Matti Grönberg (b. 1957) has worked since 1987 in YLE TV2 as producer and director. His works include entertainment, drama, children’s programs, music programs and sports spectaculars. Grönberg has been awarded several times for his work in television. He has also directed three feature-length fi lms with the comedy crew Kummeli.

Pekka Karjalainen

Pekka Karjalainen (b. 1961) graduated as a Master of Arts from the Film Department of the University of Art and Design in Helsinki. He has worked as a sound designer in more than 30 feature-length fi lms. His works as a director include the documentary The Rhythm (Rytmi, 1991), the feature-length road-movie Hysteria _{(1993), the television fi lms} A Pastoral _(Pastoraali,

1995) and Beatlehem (2003) as well as the feature fi lms Jackpot (Kummelin Jackpot, 2006) and Gimme Some Respect _{(Vähän kunnioitusta, 2010).}

Mr. Hayhill

[

]

90’ | Premiere: December 16, 2011

Director: Matti Grönberg,

Pekka Karjalainen

Script: Timo Kahilainen, Heikki Salo

Cinematography_{: Harri Räty}

Editing: Kimmo Taavila

Sound design_{: Pekka Karjalainen}

Music: Janne Louhivuori,

Timo Kahilainen

Set design: Marjatta Kuivasto

Costumes_{: Jaana Aro}

Cast: Heikki Hela, Heikki Silvennoinen, Satu Säävälä, Outi Mäenpää,

Jukka Rasila, Timo Kahilainen, Heikki Salo, Tuija Ernamo, Mia Selin

Producer: Timo Kahilainen

Production company_:

Jackpot Films Oy

Co-producers_:

Meguru production Oy

Production support_:

The Finnish Film Foundation

Financing TV companies_{: YLE TV2}

Distributor in Finland:

The Walt Disney Company Nordic

During the Finnish war (1808–09) bandit, Jeppe Antinpoika, robs a treasure belonging to the King of Sweden leaving the loot, a bag of gems, hidden behind a stove and left there for two hun-dred years. Modern day city girl, Aurora, comes to visit her country relative, the original Mr. Hay-hill. His neighbour, the baker Kakelberg, is not doing very well – his house seems to be haunted and his baking business has been sabotaged. Aurora and Mr. Hayhill start solving the mystery of the baker’s house.

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Priest of Evil

[

]

106’ | Released: October 29, 2010

Detective sergeant Timo Harjunpää of the Helsinki Violent Crimes Unit is an honest and conscien-tious cop who loses his daughter in tragic circumstances. Despite the support he receives from his colleague, constable Onerva Nykänen, Harjunpää is unable to recover from his loss. While he looks for a way to assasinate his daughter’s killer, he works on various cases involving strange deaths at Helsinki’s metro stations, eventually determining them to be serial killings. But while he seems to get closer to the killer, the killer is actually getting closer to him. Harjunpää must fi nd the murderer and as he tracks him down, Harjunpää encounters an overwhelming darkness both within and without himself.

Director: Olli Saarela

Script_{: Leo Viirret (adapted from}

the novel of Matti Yrjänä Joensuu)

Cinematography: _{Rauno Ronkainen}

Editing: Benjamin Mercer

Sound design: _{Jyrki Rahkonen}

Music: Jyrki Rahkonen, Tomi Malm

Set design: _{Päivi Kettunen}

Costumes: Anna Vilppunen

Cast: _{Peter Franzén, Irina Björklund,}

Sampo Sarkola, Jenni Banerjee, Ville Virtanen

Producer: Ilkka Matila

Production company:

Matila Röhr Productions

Production support: _{The Finnish Film}

Foundation, Nordisk Film & TV Fond

Financing TV companies: _YLE

Distributor in Finland: Nordisk Film

International sales: _TrustNordisk

Olli Saarela

Olli Saarela’s previous fi lms include Year of

the Wolf (2007), Rollo And The Woods Sprite (2001),

Bad Luck Love (2000), Ambush (1999) and

The Redemption (1997).

Saarela is one of our most acclaimed contemporary directors and his strong and unique vision can be seen in his fi lms. In addition to fi lm directing, Saarela teaches at Aalto University School of Art and Design, Department of Motion Picture.

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Princess

[

]

cinema scope | Dolby digital | 104’ | Released: September 10, 2010

A fi lm about a woman, judged to be ill by society, who heals and brings joy to people around her with her presence and personality. As she heals her surroundings more effectively than the pre-vailing healthcare system, society attempts to suppress this individual’s inner light.

Princess _{is a light-hearted fi lm based on a true story, concerning the most famous patient of}

Kellokoski psychiatric hospital, Anna Lappalainen. Diagnosed as manic depressive with symp-toms of schizophrenia, Anna Lappalainen claims to be a princess when brought into the hospital and does not want to be called by her own name. Lappalainen’s arrival kick-starts a long battle with the hospital’s staff over her identity and her right to dictate her own personality. Eventually Kellokoski hospital becomes the Princess’s castle where Anna holds court, bringing joy and heal-ing to her surroundheal-ings.

Director: Arto Halonen

Script: _{Pirjo Toikka, Arto Halonen,}

Paavo Westerberg

Cinematography: _{Hannu Vitikainen}

Editing: Tuuli Kuittinen

Sound design: _{Juha Linna}

Music: Tuomas Kantelinen

Set design: _{Jukka Uusitalo}

Costumes: Ritva Muikku

Cast: _{Katja Kukkola, Samuli Edelmann,}

Krista Kosonen, Peter Franzén, Pirkka-Pekka Petelius, Antti Litja, Irma Junni-lainen, Paavo Westerberg, Paula Vesala, Tapio Liinoja, Ulla Tapaninen, Joanna Haartti, Pertti Koivula

Producers: _{Arto Halonen, Alf Hemming}

Production company:

Art Films production AFP Oy

Production support:

The Finnish Film Foundation

Financing TV company: MTV 3

Distributor in Finland: _Sandrew

Metronome Distribution Finland Oy Ab

www.prinsessaelokuva.fi

Arto Halonen

Halonen has directed numerous award-winning fi lms, e.g. the documenta-ries Shadow of the Holy Book (Pyhän kirjan varjo, 2007), Pavlov’s Dogs (Pav-lovin koirat, 2005), The Stars’ Caravan (Taivasta vasten, 2000) and Karmapa

– Two Ways of Divinity (Karmapa – jumaluuden kaksi tietä, 1998). In 2005

he got the Finland Prize, the highest annual prize in the arts given by the Ministry of Culture. In 1998 he received the European Humanitarian Award, and in 2008 the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival honoured him as one of the most important documentary fi lmmakers of his generation.

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Jalmari Helander

Helander (b. 1976) has directed commercials and worked with a number of big brands. He is known for his short fi lms Rare Exports Inc. _{(2003) and} Rare Exports: The Official Safety Instructions _(2005).

Placed on a website, the shorts gathered nearly half a million view-ers in just a few months. The fi lms have been awarded at several festivals. Director Luc Besson approached Helander with a request to include Rare Exports Inc. _{in his annual showcase compilation of}

the world’s best short fi lms. Helander’s style is action-based and very cinematographic, with a twist of comedy.

Rare Exports

Director, script: Jalmari Helander

Cinematography: Mika Orasmaa

Editing: Kimmo Taavila

Sound design: _{Tuomas Seppänen,}

Timo Anttila

Music: Juri Seppä, MiskaSeppä

Set design: _{Torunn Anfi nsen,}

Liv Ask, Runar Waag Johnsen

Costumes: Saija Siekkinen

Cast: Onni Tommila, Jorma Tommila,

Per Christian Ellefsen, Tommi Korpela, Rauno Juvonen, Peeter Jakobi, Ilmari Järvenpää, Jonathan Hutchings

Producer: _{Petri Jokiranta}

Production company: Cinet

Co-producers: Knut Skoglund / Pomor

Film (Norway), Anna Björk/ Davaj Film (Sweden), François-Xavier Frantz / Love Streams Agnes b. Productions (France)

Production support: FilmCamp, Filmpool

Nord, The Finnish Film Foundation, Norwegian Film Institute, NFTF, Media

Financing TV companies:

YLE TV1, Canal+ France

Distributor in Finland: FS Film Oy

International sales: Kinology

www.rareexportsmovie.com

A fi lm for those who think they don’t believe in Santa Claus anymore.

Black comedy, suspense, fantasy with a realistic approach. Based on the director’s winning shorts that have already acquired a cult reputation on the internet.

35mm | 1:2,35 cinemascope | Dolby Digital | 85’ |

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Marja Pyykkö

Marja Pyykkö (b. 1975) has studied fi lm directing at the School of Motion Picture, TV and Production Design of the University of Art and Design Helsinki since 2002. She has previously directed the TV fi lm Here Lies Aino Koski (Tässä lepää Aino Koski, 2007), the short fi lms Rispect (2004) and

Tango (2003) and a number of advertising fi lms. In addition,

she has worked as an assistant director, in casting tasks and as a fi lm, television and stage actress. Should I Stay is the fi rst feature fi lm directed by her.

Run Sister Run

[

]

1:2,35 | Dolby Digital | 112’ | Released: August 2010

A bittersweet story about 15-year-old Emilia and her struggle between family and passionate friendship when she is trying to fi nd her own path and identity.

Emilia has always been the responsible one in her family. Emilia’s parents are divorced, and the children live with their dad. In the absence of their mother, Emilia looks after her little sister, and her dad says that Emilia “will always do well.” On the last day of the summer vacation, Emilia meets Siiri, who seems to be everything Emilia wishes she was: brave, free and independent. It is friendship at fi rst sight, and Emilia’s life soon revolves around Siiri. But can freedom be found in a symbiotic relationship with Siiri? Emilia has to fi nd the courage to break free from Siiri in order to become whole and fi nd her own path. Run Sister Run is a fi lm about the pain and beauty of being young.

Director: _{Marja Pyykkö}

Script: Laura Suhonen, Marja Pyykkö

Cinematography: _{Konsta Sohlberg}

Editing: Mikko Sippola

Sound design: _{Panu Riikonen}

Music: Antti Lehtinen

Set design: _{Antti Nikkinen}

Costumes: Tiina Kaukanen

Cast: _{Ada Kukkonen, Sara Melleri,}

Anna-Leena Uotila, Seppo Pääkkönen, Kristiina Halttu, Heikki Nousiainen

Producers: Markus Selin,

Jukka Helle, Piia Nokelainen

Production company: Solar Films Oy

Production support:

The Finnish Film Foundation

Financing TV company:

Channel Four Finland

Distributor in Finland: _{Nordisk Film Oy}

International sales: TrustNordisk

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Sakari Kirjavainen

Sakari Kirjavainen (b. 1960) is a versatile Finnish fi lm director. Kirjavainen started his career in the beginning of the 1980s. He received the Risto Jarva award for his short feature, Whale Oil Lamp.

He made his fi rst full length feature, Who Asks For Fire, in 2001 and the fi lm was later recognized as a cult classic. Sakari Kirja-vainen has a degree in fi lm directing and screenwriting. He has directed features, television series, radio plays, theater pieces and written two novels. In 2009 he was awarded for his radio series, Under the Northern Star.

Silence

[

]

Director_{: Sakari Kirjavainen}

Script: Esko Salervo

Cinematography_{: Petri Rossi}

Editing: Jukka Nykänen

Sound design_{: Olli Huhtanen,}

Pietari Koskinen

Music_{: Timo Hietala}

Set design: Jukka Uusitalo

Costumes_{: Janne Karjalainen}

Cast: Joonas Saartamo, Lauri Tilkanen, Joanna Haartti, Terhi Suorlahti, Sinikka Mokkila ja Ilkka Heiskanen

Producer: Alf Hemming and Petri Rossi

Production company_{: Cine Works Oy}

Production support:

The Finnish Film Foundation

Financing TV companies:

YLE Co-Productions

Distributor in Finland:

The Walt Disney Company Nordic

It is the Second World War. In Finland at the Russian front is an evacuation center where dead soldiers are gathered to be sent home.

Silence is the story of Eino, the dim-witted son of a man whose job is to wash the dead bodies. Eino joins the war with his simple soul full of heroic ideals. Life in the small community turns out to be more complicated than the war itself and the evacuation center is spiced up by the charac-ters that run it; Chaplain Hiltunen, crazy about his numbers and charts; Korpikangas, a former medical student straight from a mental institution; Miina, an old cupper woman; and two young “Lottas” (female volunteers), Jaana with a hard shell and Siiri with an open heart.

Most important to Eino, however, is his lifelong friend Antti, for whom his jäger father has arranged an innocuous job at the center. Antti is a charming rogue who who tricks Eino into doing all his work while he himself concentrates on wooing the ladies and trading illegally across the front line.

35mm | 1:2,35 cinemascope | Dolby | 90’ | Premiere: December 9, 2011

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Ville Jankeri

Ville Jankeri (b. 1976) graduated as Film Director MA from The National Film and Television School in the UK. He has directed short fi lms in the UK, Germany and Finland. In 2008 he was chosen to prepare a short fi lm for The Berlin Today Contest at the Berlinale Film Festival. Sixpack is his fi rst feature fi lm.

Sixpack

[

]

Director: Ville Jankeri

Script_{: Ville Jankeri,}

Mikko Rimminen

Cinematography_{: Jarkko T. Laine}

Editing: Harri Ylönen

Sound design_{: Janne Jankeri}

Music: Marko Nyberg

Set design_{: Markku Pätilä}

Costumes: Karoliina Koiso-Kanttila

Cast_{: Eero Milonoff,}

Jussi Nikkilä, Ylermi Rajamaa

Producer_{: Lasse Saarinen,}

Rimbo Salomaa

Production company_{: Kinotar Oy}

Production support:

The Finnish Film Foundation

Financing TV company:

Channel Four Finland

Distributor in Finland:

Nordisk Film Oy

Marshall can’t sleep and he feels isolated from the world. His friends, Pasty and Henninen, lure him out of his dusty fl at to spend a hot summer day roaming the parks, streets and beer terraces of lively downtown Helsinki. Throughout the day they meet a variety of people from young girls to humourless cops. As night falls on a day that started with the morning sun, a heavy rain descends on the city washing away all hope. But soon the sun rises again signalling a time to take a good, hard look at friendship.

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Taru Mäkelä

Taru Mäkelä (b. 1959) is an established Finnish fi lm director. After comedies and light entertainment she made a trilogy of very serious war-time documentaries touching on a lot of political and emotional taboos. Her fi rst feature fi lm, Little Sister, won the Finland Prize for year 2000. Aside from fi lm and television Taru Mäkelä also directs theatre and radio plays.

The Storage

[

]

Dolby Digital | 85’ |

Premiere: December 30, 2011

Antero Rousku works as a warehouseman at a paint shop. His work is of the raw muscle variety, where he mixes paint and carries renovation materials from one place to another in order to make ends meet. Rousku, however, is not content with merely making ends meet. Instead, he sells his employer’s wares under the table to Jylhäkorpi, who frequents the shop. Jylhäkorpi is a devout and outspoken communist given to unscrupulous stealing in spite of his ideology, or, perhaps, because of it.

Rousku’s work mate in the cellar of the warehouse is run-of-the-mill working-class guy Ranin-en, whose life consists of work and arguing with his wife. In playing the lottery, Raninen not only wants to win but wants to get the winning numbers in precisely the order they come spinning out of the lottery machine. Not the sharpest pencil in the box, therefore, our Raninen…

Rousku’s freedom is threatened by a relationship with Karita, the sales girl at the paint shop. Rousku wants to keep the woman at arm’s length except, of course, when in her bed. Karita, how-ever, has decided otherwise, and the noose tightens around Rousku’s neck when Karita announc-es that she’s pregnant.

Director_{: Taru Mäkelä}

Script: Veli-Pekka Hänninen,

based on Arto Salminen’s novel

Cinematography: Jouko Seppälä F.S.C.

Editing_{: Tuuli Kuittinen}

Sound design: Kyösti Väntänen

Music_{: Rauol Björkenheim}

Set design: Tiina Paavilainen

Costumes_{: Merja Väisänen}

Cast: Kari-Pekka Toivonen, Minttu Mustakallio, Aku Hirvineimi, Esko Salminen, Juha Muje, Vesa Vierikko

Producer_{: Markku Tuurna,}

respon-sible producers Taru Mäkelä and Jouko Seppälä

Production company: Kinosto, Ltd.

Co-producers_{: Filmimaa Oy}

Production support:

The Finnish Film Foundation

Financing TV companies: MTV 3

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Timo Koivusalo

Koivusalo (b. 1963) is the managing director and owner of Artista Filmi. Since 1994 he has directed 11 feature fi lms. He is a producer, director, writer, editor, TV host and composer. He has received several fi lm and TV awards. His latest fi lms include Under the North Star _(Täällä

Pohjantäh-den alla, 2009), The Leaning Tower(Kalteva torni, 2006), Sibelius(2003)

and Shadow of the Eagle_{(Kaksipäisen kotkan varjossa, 2005).}

Under the North Star 2

[

]

Dolby digital | 120’ | Released: October 1, 2010

Director, script: Timo Koivusalo

Cinematography: _{Pertti Mutanen}

Editing: Jyrki Luukko, Timo Koivusalo

Sound design: _{Olli Pärnänen}

Music: Jaakko Kuusisto

Set design: _{Markku Myllymäki}

Costumes: Leila Jäntti

Cast: _{Ilkka Koivula, Vera Kiiskinen,}

Risto Tuorila, Ritva Jalonen, Jonna Järnefelt, Hannu-Pekka Björkman, Esko Roine, Sara Paavolainen, Sulevi Peltola, Miia Selin, Ville Virtanen, Sampo Sarkola, Reino Nordin, Miina Turunen, Jukka Leisti, Tapani Kallio-mäki, Jari Salmi, Antti Luusuaniemi, Anna Lipponen, Aku Hirviniemi

Producer: Timo Koivusalo

Production company: _{Artista Filmi Oy}

Production support:

The Finnish Film Foundation

Financing TV company: YLE TV2

Distributor in Finland: _{Walt Disney}

Studios Motion Pictures Finland

www.artistafilmi.fi/tpa

After being freed from a prison camp, Akseli Koskela retires away to his tenant farm, cultivating the land and bitterly trying to come to terms with the ghosts of his past. Without sparing himself, he works for the future of his children. When the day fi nally comes that Akseli is allowed to buy the tenant farm for himself, he imagines that everything will turn for the better, but fate has dif-ferent plans in store for him.

The Winter War breaks out. The Soviet Union tries to invade Finland. Although torn by civil war twenty years earlier, the Finnish nation now stands united, and the impossible happens. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the Finns stop the enemy, but at a heavy price for the entire country, and for Akseli. His two youngest sons are killed and, to Akseli’s shock, his third son chooses a career in the military instead of farming the family’s lands. Akseli’s worst fears are realised when his eldest son also dies at the front, during the waning moments of the Continuation War.

Finland keeps its independence, as does Akseli, who is now a landowner – but has all of it been worth it? In Akseli’s own words: “What’s the use of all this, if nothing remains? What’s the use of Koskela (farm)? From the fi rst push of my father’s shovel into the ground, a lifetime of toil-ing, and in the end, nothing...”

FINNISH FEA

TURE FILMS 2011

Peter Lindholm

Peter Lindholm (b. 1960) graduated as director 1990 (Director Schooling Co-Operation Project of the Finnish Film Foundation, the Finnish Broadcasting Company and the commercial

Where Once We Walked

[

]

Dolby 5.1 | ~100’ | Premiere: autumn 2011

It is the beginning of the 20th century, a time when Helsinki is actually two cities; one of the rich upper class and that of the poor workers. South of Long Bridge lives the independent and curious Lucie who is growing up and refusing to fi t the mold of the upper class women. Her soul mate and childhood friend, Eccu, has been fi ercely in love with the wild and eccentric Lucie since the age of 17. However, the only one who can set Lucie’s heart on fi re is Allu, a younger working class hero, football genius and the son of a Red rebel.

Spanning decades, the story shows how time, place and social class unite people – and set them apart.

Director: Peter Lindholm

Script: Jimmy Karlsson and

Aleksi Bardy

Cinematography: Rane Ronkainen FSC

Editing_{: Jussi Lehto}

Sound design_{: Juha Hakanen}

Music: Mauri Sumén

Set design: Kaisa Mäkinen

Costumes: Anna Vilppunen

Cast: Jessica Grabowsky, Andreas af Enehielm, Oskar Pöysti, Jacob Öhrman, André Wickström, Lia Boysen, Alma pöysti, Martin Bahne, Niklas Groundström

Producer_{: Aleksi Bardy and}

Annika Sucksdorff

Production company:

Helsinki-fi lmi Oy

Production support:

The Finnish Film Foundation

Financing TV companies: YLE FST5

Distributor in Finland:

Scanbox Entertainment

International sales: The Yellow Affair

www.helsinkifilmi.fi

Finnish tv-channel MTV3; teachers e.g. Krzystztof Kieslowski, Paul Schrader). His diploma work Rage _{(Raseri) received the Risto Jarva}

award 1990.

Lindholm planned to become a professional soccer player until an injury ended that dream at the age of 16. He then pursued his other passion – fi lmmaking.

To date he has made over 300 commercials, dozens of TV-series and many feature fi lms. His best known TV work is Sincerly Yours in

FINNISH DOCUMENT AR Y FILMS 2011

Barzakh

Ahmed Gisaev, Zarema Mukusheva

Editing supervisor: _{Timo Linnasalo}

Editing assistant: Mindaugas Galkus

Editing consultant:

Giedrius Zubavicius

Sound design: _{Tero Malmberg}

Producer: Aki Kaurismäki,

Mantas Kvedaravicius

Production company: Sputnik Oy

Co-production: _{Extimacy Films}

Production support:

The Finnish Film Foundation

Financing TV company:

YLE TV2 Documentaries

International sales:

The Match Factory GmbH

In a Chechen city recovering after the war, a man disappears. As daily life goes on, those in search are drawn into a world where encounters with diviners and legal advisors, with the tor-turers and the tortured, with secret prisons and mythical lakes all become commonplace. When the disappeared do return in dreams, they are said to come from Barzakh – a land between the living and the dead.

Mantas Kvedaravicius

Mantas Kvedaravicius was born in Birzai, Lithuania in 1976. He holds a Master’s Degree in cultural anthropology from the Uni-versity of Oxford and is currently completing his PhD dissertation and a book manuscript on the affects of pain at the University of Cambridge. Kvedaravicius has taught university courses on religion, law, and political theory in New York, and since 2006 he has been conducting research on torture and disappearances in the North Caucasus. Barzakh is his fi rst fi lm. Kvedaravicius is also an underwa-ter archaeologist. He lives in Lithuania raising his two children.

FINNISH DOCUMENT

AR

Y FILMS 2011

Katja Gauriloff

Katja Gauriloff was born in 1972 in Inari. She has studied fi lmmaking at the Tampere University of Applied Sciences, School of Art and Media (2000–2004). She has been involved in filmmaking since 1998. Today she is a film director and part-owner of the Oktober Oy production company. Selected fi lmography: A Shout into the Wind

documentary, 2007

Canned Dreams

[

]

1:1,85 | Dolby 5.1 | 52’ and 80’

Director: Katja Gauriloff

Script: _{Katja Gauriloff,}

Joonas Berghäll and Jarkko T. Laine

Cinema tography: _{Heikki Färm,}

Tuomo Hutri

Editing: _{Jukka Nykänen}

Sound design: Peter Albrechtsen

Music: _{Karsten Fundal}

Producer: Joonas Berghäll

Production company: _{Oktober Oy}

Production support: The Finnish Film

Foundation, AVEK, MEDIA pro-gramme, Nordisk Film & TV Fund

Financing TV company: _{YLE TV2}

Docu-mentaries, ARTE, RTP, NRK, TG4, Noga Communications

International sales: Deckert

Distribu-tion GmbH | Heino Deckert

Canned Dreamsis a fi lm about workers and their dreams on the journey of a canned food product.

In our fi lm, we build a portrait of ordinary workers through their own, personal stories from multiple cultures. We hear them telling about the most important moments in their life, and the dreams that would make their own world a better place. All this happens in a frame of follow-ing the route of a tin can which starts it’s journey from the other side of the world and travels all across Europe. In this fi lm the beauty of humanity is seen through working hands.

FINNISH DOCUMENT AR Y FILMS 2011 2010 | DigiBeta | 4:3 | Stereo | Part 1: 59’07”, Part 2: 57’20”, Part 3: 56’24”

A Director’s Journey to Humanness –

The Story of Mikko Niskanen

[

]

Director, script: Peter von Bagh

Cinematography: _{Arto Kaivanto}

Editing: Petteri Evilampi

Sound design: _{Martti Turunen}

Producers:

Ilkka Mertsola & Mark Lwoff

Production company: Nosferatu Oy

Production support:

The Finnish Film Foundation

Financing TV company:

YLE TV2 Documentaries

International sales: _{Nosferatu Oy}

Peter von Bagh Selected fi lmography

The Count (feature fi lm, 1973), Year 1952 (feature length

documentary, 1980), The Last Summer 1944 (feature length documentary, 1992), The Year 1939 (feature length documentary, 1993), The Blue Song: The Cultural History of

Finland since 1917 (12 parts, 2003–2004), Helsinki Forever

(feature length documentary, 2008), Sodankylä Forever/

The Century of the Cinema (feature length documentary, 2010),

Sodankylä Forever (3 parts – three hours, 2010)

Peter von Bagh’s A Director’s Journey To Humanness is a unique, quintessentially Finnish docu-mentary triptych. With its three one-hour episodes, it paints a detailed picture of Mikko Niskanen (1929–1990), the director of The Boys, Eight Deadly Shots and Gotta Run!

FINNISH DOCUMENT AR Y FILMS 2011 Germany/South-Africa/Finland | 2011 | DCP, HDCAM, 35mm | 16:9 | 1:1.85 | Dolby Digital, 5.1 | 88’ and 52’

Mama Africa

Director: _{Mika Kaurismäki}

Script: Mika Kaurismäki,

Don Edkins

Cinematography: Jacques Cheuiche,

Eran Tahor, Martina Radwan, Frank Lehmann, Wolfgang Held

Editing: _{Karen Harley}

Sound design: Uwe Dresch

Music: _{Miriam Makeba etc.}

Producer: Rainer Kölmel

Production company:

Starhaus (Germany)

Co-production:

Marianna Films (Finland), Millennium Films (South-Africa)

Production support:

The Finnish Film Foundation, NRW

Financing TV company:

YLE TV2 Documentaries, ZDF/ARTE, SWR, ORF, SVT, NPS

International sales: _{Fortissimo Films}

Mama Africa _{is a documentary about the recently deceased South African icon Miriam Makeba.}

Miriam travelled with her powerful music around the world to spread her political message against racism and poverty and for equality and peace. Mama Africa is an homage to this extra-ordinary and impressive artist, who incarnates the voice and the hope of Africa.

Mika Kaurismäki Selected fi lmography

2010 Vesku from Finland, 2009 The House of

Branching Love, 2008 Three Wise Men, 2006 Sonic

Mirror, 2005 Brasileirinho, 2003 Honey Baby,

2002 Moro no Brasil, 1998 Los Angeles Without a Map, 1994 Tigrero – A Film That Was Never Made, 1991 Zombie & The Ghost Train, 1990 The Amazon, 1987 Helsinki Napoli – All Night Long, 1985 Rosso, 1982 The Worthless, 1980 The Liar

FINNISH DOCUMENT

AR

Y FILMS 2011

2010 | Blu-ray, HDCAM | 16:9 |

AB stereo | 71’

Paavo, a Life in Five Courses

[

]

Director, script: _{Hanna Hemilä}

Cinematography: Ilmo Lintonen

Editing: _{Pentti Kakkori}

Sound design: Tero Malmberg

Music: _{Dani Strömbäck}

Producers: Hanna Hemilä,

Vesa Harju

Production company:

Handle Productions Oy

Co-production: Whooper LLC

Production support: _{AVEK, Swedish}

Cultural Foundation in Finland, Före-ningen Konstsamfundet, The Swedish-Finnish Cultural Foundation

Financing TV company: _{YLE FST5, SVT}

International sales:

Handle Productions Oy

“I have four dogs, two donkeys and a wife in Paris and I need help with the household”, theater producer Lars Schmidt said to young Paavo Turtiai nen at Helsinki airport in 1970. The wife was the actress Ingrid Bergman.

Finnish farm boy Paavo Turtiainen is hired into the Parisian household of Swedish theatre producer Lars Schmidt and his wife, Ingrid Bergman. The couple “adopt” and train Paavo to navigate the rich and famous. Encouraged by Schmidt, Paavo moves to New York and becomes an acclaimed chef and event planner for high society. Along the way, Paavo learns to stand on his own feet.

In the fi lm Ingrid Bergman’s daughters, Isabella Rossellini and Pia Lindström, talk about their “brother” and Lars Schmidt’s son Kristian describes how it was growing up with the ever present Paavo.

Hanna Hemilä

First time director Hanna Hemilä has produced award winning fi lms for nearly two decades. She is currently working on Le Havre,

a feature fi lm directed by Aki Kaurismäki. Other fi lms include

Bad Family (Berlinale 2010); Varg, a Swedish-Finnish-Norwegian

fi lm (2008); Pelicanman (Berlinale 2004); Guarded Secrets (2004);

Gold Fever in Lapland (1999); the animation series Tootletubs & Jyro

(2001) and Urpo & Turpo (1996); the documentaries Tove and Tooti

in Europe (2004) and Haru, the Island of the Solitary (1998). Hemilä

FINNISH DOCUMENT

AR

Y FILMS 2011

Tonislav Hristov

Tonislav Hristov was born in Vratza, northern Bulgaria, in 1978. In 1999 he moved to Finland. He has a MSC in computer engineering (2002) and a MA in fi lmmaking (2007). He has worked for years as a freelancer for YLE and has made several TV documentaries. His fi rst documentary fi lm Family Fortune was released in 2007.

Rules of Single Life

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]

DCP, DigiBeta | 16:9 | Stereo | 79’ | Bulgarian, English,

Finnish with English subtitles

Director: _{Tonislav Hristov}

Script: Tonislav Hristov, Kaarle Aho

Cinematography: _{Peter Flinckenberg}

Editing: Joona Louhivuori

Sound design: _{Anne Tolkkinen}

Music: Petar Dundakov

Producers: _{Kaarle Aho, Kai Nordberg}

Production company:

Making Movies Oy

Co-production: Agitprop (Bulgaria)

Production support: _{The Finnish}

Film Foundation, AVEK, NFTF, Bulgarian Film Centre

Financing TV companies: YLE TV1,

NRK, Bulgarian National Television

International sales:

First Hand Films GmbH

A romantic documentary about love in a foreign city. Four Bulgarian emigrants in Helsinki; dis-illusioned with love, they decide to give themselves a task. In 12 months, they need to fi nd girl-friends in Helsinki. The men start a well-organized self-development and women hunting process. Internet dates, sport dates, courses in dancing etc.

Still, love is always full of surprises. The past – especially ex-wives and ex-girlfriends – won’t leave the men in peace. And the present is also full of surprises especially while you’re on your way to a friend’s wedding: Why don’t all women put their photos on the dating sites of the Inter-net? Is sex a cure for solitude? And can anyone anywhere really get to know another person in 12 months?

FINNISH DOCUMENT

AR

Y FILMS 2011

Peter von Bagh

The Count (feature fi lm, 1973), Year 1952 (feature length

documentary, 1980), The Last Summer 1944 (feature length documentary, 1992), The Year 1939 (feature length documen-tary, 1993), The Blue Song: The Cultural History of Finland since 1917 (12 parts, 2003–2004), Helsinki Forever (feature length documentary, 2008), A Director’s Journey to Humanness – The

Story of Mikko Niskanen (3 parts – three hours), Sodankylä

Forever / The Century of the Cinema (feature length

documen-tary, 2010), Sodankylä Forever (3 parts – three hours 2010) 2010 | Digibeta (pal) | DVD (pal) |

4:3 | Stereo | 90’

Director, script: Peter von Bagh

Cinematography: _{Arto Kaivanto}

Editing: Petteri Evilampi

Sound design: _{Martti Turunen}

Producer: Ilkka Mertsola &

Mark Lwoff

Production company: Nosferatu Oy

Production support: _AVEK

Financing TV company: YLE TV1

International sales: _{Nosferatu Oy}

The Midnight Sun Film Festival – a strange and celebrated fi lm festival in an unlikely place, far north in Lapland. The cinema dialogue of all time: the twentieth century as told by great fi lm makers. The birth stories of fi lms reveal histories lived, stories from childhood and the early years “before I became a fi lmmaker”. The special strength of the fi lm is the dialogue of the most notable persons of the East and the West that grows out of the material, an encounter that con-veys the starkly different working conditions, and yet the determination over the necessity of the shared human themes and challenges. Great movies are born out of innumerable origins. The complete Sodankylä Forever _{series consists as well of three one-hour features with themes of}

light, time, and the experience of the fi rst fi lms of our lives.

Sodankylä Forever/The Century of the Cinema

Sodankylä Forever