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

Transcription

1 FINNISH FILMS 2011

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3 Contents 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 Domestic Films Facts in Figures 72 Finnish Feature Films Film Festivals in Finland International Sales Companies 77 Useful Addresses 78 Distributors in Finland 80 Producers 82

4 2F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S Digi, 35mm 2.35:1 Dolby Digital Premiere: April 8, 2011 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 August [ Elokuu] 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 dullest 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 Teeth and In Between.

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6 4F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm 2.35:1 Dolby Digital 100 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 Body of Water [ Syvälle salattu] 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. 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 office hit, and it has been distributed throughout 10 territories, worldwide. It was also remade in Germany in 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.

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8 6F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm, Digital Copy, HDcam 1:1.85 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 Brothers [ Veljekset ] A satirical portrait of a reunion between three brothers with their father to celebrate his 70 th 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. Mika Kaurismäki Mika Kaurismäki s fi rst fi lm The Liar (Valehtelija, 1980) marked the beginning 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 fictional 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).

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10 8F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S DCP, 35mm 1:1.85 Dolby Stereo 90 Premiere: October 28, 2011 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 Dirty Bomb [ Likainen pommi] 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 figure 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 sacrifice 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? 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 Presidents Cabin. He then went on to write and direct the acclaimed television movie Beauty Sleep (2010) about three raging drag queens, one homophobic 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, developing new projects both for TV and cinema.

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12 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S HD, 35mm 1:1.85 Dolby 5.1 ~95 Premiere: July 29, 2011 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 Garbage Prince [ Roskisprinssi] 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. 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 office hits in Finland. Both fi lms have met with success around the world.

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14 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm, DCP 1: , Stereo 87 Premiere: March 25, 2011 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 The Good Son [ Hyvä Poika] 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 weekend. 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. 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 International Film Festival 2009). The screenplay and sound design of Last Cowboy Standing won Jussi awards in 2010.

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16 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm, Digital Copy 1:1.85 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 Le Havre The story of a shoeshiner who tries to save a refugee child. Aki Kaurismäki Aki Kaurismäki was born in 1957.

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18 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm 2.39:1 cinemascope Dolby Digital 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 Hella W 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 Second 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. Juha Wuolijoki Hella W is brought to the big screen by award winning director Juha Wuolijoki. His previous fi lm, Christmas Story, was sold to more than 120 countries with theatrical releases in several territories including China, Spain, Poland, Canada, Greece and Scandinavia.

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20 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm, Digital Copy 1:2.35, cinemascope Dolby Digital 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 The Hustlers [ Veijarit] 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. 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 office hit gathering almost viewers in Finland. Besides working on tv series and feature fi lms, Lauri has directed several commercials and music videos.

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22 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm, 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 Foundation in Finland, Konstsamfundet, Swedish Film Institut Financing TV company: YLE FST5 Distributor in Finland: Sandrew Metronome Distribution Finland Oy International sales: Oy Interprod Ab Iris The year is 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. 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.

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24 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm, Digi cinemascope 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 [ Matka Eedeniin] 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 composer 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 experience a spiritual epiphany about the meaning of forgiveness which paves the way for a chance of a better future. 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 awarded the State Prize for Photography (1989), the State Prize for Literature (1992) and the Art Prize of the Province Varsinais-Suomi (2003).

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26 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm, Digi 2.35:1 Dolby Digital 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 The Kiss of Evil [ Pahan suudelma] 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. 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 theatrical 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.

27 Also coming up in the Vares-series ( ): 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) directed by Anders Engström 25

28 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm, Digital Cinema print 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 Lapland Odyssey [ Napapiirin sankarit] 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 traffic. 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. Dome Karukoski Karukoski (b 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. Photo: Tuukka Ylönen

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30 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm, Digi 2.35:1 Dolby Digital 105 Premiere: Autumn 2011 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 Kinnunen, Kristo Salminen, 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 Life for Sale [ Kotirauha] 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 contemporary 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. 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 office 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 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.

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32 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm, dcp 1:2.35 Dolby Digital 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 Mr. Hayhill [ Herra Heinämäki ja Leijonatuuliviiri] During the Finnish war ( ) 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 hundred years. Modern day city girl, Aurora, comes to visit her country relative, the original Mr. Hayhill. 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. 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 featurelength 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 featurelength 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).

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34 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm cinemascope Dolby Digital 106 Released: October 29, 2010 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 Priest of Evil [ Harjunpää ja pahan pappi] Detective sergeant Timo Harjunpää of the Helsinki Violent Crimes Unit is an honest and conscientious 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. 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.

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36 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm, Digital Cinema print cinema scope Dolby digital 104 Released: September 10, 2010 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 Junnilainen, 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 Princess [ Prinsessa] 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 prevailing 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 symptoms 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 healing to her surroundings. Arto Halonen Halonen has directed numerous award-winning fi lms, e.g. the documentaries Shadow of the Holy Book (Pyhän kirjan varjo, 2007), Pavlov s Dogs (Pavlovin 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. He is the founder of DocPoint Helsinki Documentary Film Festival.

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38 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm 1:2,35 cinemascope Dolby Digital 85 Released: December 3, 2010 Director, script: Jalmari Helander Cinematography: Mika Orasmaa Editing: Kimmo Taavila Sound design: Tuomas Seppänen, Timo Anttila Music: Juri Seppä, Miska Seppä 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 Rare Exports 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 awardwinning shorts that have already acquired a cult reputation on the internet. 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 viewers 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.

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40 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm, Digital Cinema print 1:2,35 Dolby Digital 112 Released: August 2010 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 Run Sister Run [ Sisko tahtoisin jäädä] 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. 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 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.

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42 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm 1:2,35 cinemascope Dolby 90 Premiere: December 9, 2011 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 Silence [ Hiljaisuus] 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 characters 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. 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 Kirjavainen 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.

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44 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm, digital print 1:1.85 Dolby Digital 82 Premiere: September 2011 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 Sixpack [ Pussikaljaelokuva] 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. 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.

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46 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S DCP, 35mm 16:9, 1:1, 75 Dolby Digital 85 Premiere: December 30, 2011 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, responsible 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 Distributor in Finland: Nordisk Film The Storage [ Varasto] 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 Raninen, 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, however, has decided otherwise, and the noose tightens around Rousku s neck when Karita announces that she s pregnant. 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 Aside from fi lm and television Taru Mäkelä also directs theatre and radio plays.

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48 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S mm, Digital Cinema print 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 Kalliomäki, 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 Under the North Star 2 [ Täällä Pohjantähden alla 2] 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 different 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 toiling, and in the end, nothing... 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 Pohjantähden alla, 2009), The Leaning Tower (Kalteva torni, 2006), Sibelius (2003) and Shadow of the Eagle (Kaksipäisen kotkan varjossa, 2005).

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50 F I N N I S H F E A T U R E F I L M S TBC, 35mm, DCP Cinemascope Dolby 5.1 ~100 Premiere: autumn 2011 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 Where Once We Walked [ Där vi en gång gått / Missä kuljimme kerran] 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. 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 Finnish tv-channel MTV3; teachers e.g. Krzystztof Kieslowski, Paul Schrader). His diploma work Rage (Raseri) received the Risto Jarva award 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 Cold Blood (Kylmäverisesti sinun).

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52 F I N N I S H D O C U M E N T A R Y F I L M S Finland/Lithuania 2011 DigiBeta, 35mm 16:9 Dolby 59 Director, script, cinematography, editing: Mantas Kvedaravicius Additional photography: 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 Barzakh 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 torturers 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 He holds a Master s Degree in cultural anthropology from the University 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 underwater archaeologist. He lives in Lithuania raising his two children.