The Week of Finnish Film - Day 4
Frozen Country (21.00) has been considered as one of the best Finnish films in 21st Cent.
19.00 The Home of Dark Butterflyies / Tummien perhosten koti
The principal character of the movie is Juhani, haunted and oppressed by a traumatic childhood experience. After being bounced between foster homes and temporary families for six years, Juhani ends up in a Boys´ Home, The Island. The place is run under the laws and regulations of the superintendent, Olavi Harjula, who is ruthless in his administration. Besides the seven boys and Harjula, the only other inhabitants of the Island are the superintendent´s wife and their two daughters, along with Tyyne, who´s in charge of the livestock and the catering. The isolated community is a world of its own. The movie forces the spectators to ask themselves; how long do you have to keep paying for past mistakes and deeds? When can you forgive yourself and be set free? Or can you? And are you responsible for other people´s actions?
directed by: Dome Karukoski; screenplay: Marko Leino
cast: Niilo Syväoja, Tommi Korpela, Eero Milonoff, Kristina Halttu, Katti Outinen, Pertti Sveholm
photography: Pini Hellstedt; music: Panu Aaltio
Film Awards: Virtzburg, Leeds, Setubal, Madrid...Jussi – Director, montaža, muška sporedna uloga
21.00 Frozen Country / Paha maa
Tuomas is a young computer hacker who wishes to accomplish something significant and useful to the society.
Tuomas´s best friend Niko has more of a rock mentality than him, leading a more hedonistic life in the world of drugs and alcohol.
About 20 years old, Elina is a brave and intelligent young activist studying history and political science at the university. Elina and Tuomas have had a happy relationship for over a year and are planning to get married.
A chain reaction of events starts after Niko forges a 500 euro note. In the film´s other plot, the attack planned by Tuomas and Elina on an information network has grave consequences.
Frozen Land is an intense, fast-paced and realistic depiction of today´s Finland. It contains several dramatic and tragic events and plenty of action, but also warmth.
The film has an episodic structure, where the stories are not always linked to each other in a chronological order.
directed by: Aku Louhimies; screenplay: Paavo Westerberg, Jari Rantala, Aku Louhimies;
cast: Jasper Pääkkönen, Mikko Leppilampi,Pamela Tola, Petteri Summanen, Mikko Kouki, Samuli Edelman; photography: Rauno Ronkainen
Film Awards: Goetebourgh, Moscow, Athens, Bergen.Libek, Leeds...Jussi – Best film; Best director ( Aku Louhimies); Best actor in a supporting role (Sulevi Peltola); Best actress in a supporting role (Matleena Kuusniemi); Best script (Paavo Westerberg, Jari Rantala and Aku Louhimies); Best sound design (Janne Laine, Kirka Sainio and Samu Heikkilä); Best editing (Samu Heikkilä); Best costume design (Tiina Kaukanen)