Cinéfinlande

Homesick

Director: Petri Kotwica
Script: Petri Kotwica, Selma Vilhunen
Cast: Julius Lavonen, Tarja Heinula, Janne Virtanen

After an accident, Sami, 17, is taken to the youth ward of a mental hospital. The boy does not talk or show his feelings. Sami’s mother refuses to accept that her son was involuntarily taken from her. Sami would certainly be much better at home.
Sami’s new roommate Rudolf would prefer to stay at the hospital for ever. A strange friendship develops between the two boys. A dedicated male nurse, Taneli makes an effort to reach Sami and find out what caused his “accident.”
Homesick is a feature film about survival, care and hope.

Game Over

Director: Pekka Lehto
Script: William Aldridge,
Cast: Reino Nordin, Julius Lavonen, Juuso Pekkinen, Jarkko Niemi, Joonas Saartamo, Lilli Aro, Karoliina Blackburn

Game Over – Life begins on Friday.
18-year-old Kimi graduates from high school. He is going to show the world that he can be richer and more successful than his extremely successful dad.
Kimi is the coach of a junior floorball team. Riku, H.P. and Valtteri are his star players. Kimi makes a deal with the charismatic Pertti Ilola to sponsor the floorball championship finals. When Kimi realises that Pertti is a failed fraudster and is using Kimi to get a foot inside the corporate world of his dad, Kimi decides to take his revenge. He plans to lure Pertti to his parents’ weekend cottage and steal the briefcase stuffed with cash that Pertti always carries with him, the perfect crime since Pertti would never report the theft of money he has embezzled. H.P., Valtteri and Riku happily agree to help Kimi. To them it’s just a game like many other games that Kimi has organised before. Nothing could go wrong. But this time, everything does.
Detective Inspector Karoliina Ranta has no difficulty following the sloppy trail of clues that leads to the four boys. The young woman uncovers the strong bond of friendship between the four boys who have all been left to grow up “on their own.” Desperate to be accepted and praised, Kimi turns to Ranta. Finally, in his own inimitable way, Kimi accepts that he is faced with a choice and that he must make a decision. Even if it is for all the wrong reasons.

FC Venus

Director: Joona Tena
Script: Outi Keskevaari, Katri Manninen,
Cast: Minna Haapkylä, Petteri Summanen, Taneli Mäkelä, Laura Malmivaara, Lotta Lehtikari, Miia Nuutila, Hannu-Pekka Björkman

FC Venus is a modern comedy about women and men, and the differences between the two.
The main characters in the film are Anna and Pete, a couple in their late twenties who live happily together in Helsinki. Pete plays football on a team called FC HeMan, in the lowest possible league. The team sucks, but its players still play, watch, and live football. Anna hates the whole sport, but doesn’t interfere with Pete’s hobby because she loves him.
Anna’s love for Pete is put to the test when she finds out to her shock that Pete has ordered tickets with his teammates to the Football World Cup in Germany, putting his team first and her second.
In a fit of anger, Anna ends up making a bet with Pete: She puts together a team from the wives and girlfriends of the FC HeMan players and challenges the men to a match at the end of the sum¬mer. If the women win, the men will have to give up football. If the men win, the women will never again give the men a hard time about their hobby.
Thus is the women’s team FC Venus formed. The film follows the women during one summer on their quest towards the football match to end all football matches.
It’s his game but her rules.

Beauty and the Bastard
[Tyttö sinä olet tähti]

Director: Dome Karukoski
Script: Pekko Pesonen
Cast: Pamela Tola, Samuli Vauramo, Joonas Saartamo, Eero Milonoff, Elena Leeve, Mikko Leppilampi, Mikko Kouki, Anna-Leena Härkönen, Eero Saarinen

Nelli, a girl who’s been subdued by praise, is on her way to medical school if her parents can help it, even though she daydreams about a career as a singer. If only she could come up with a demo that she could use to show her talent to the record companies.
Sune, a beaten down kid from a rough area, is a talented hip hop DJ who’s afraid of women. To show his friends otherwise, he makes a bet that he can get Nelli to sleep with him. His friends don’t believe a beauty like her would even spit Sune’s way. But Nelli sees an opportunity to get herself a free demo.
As they use each other, they fall for each other. There’s a lot of road to cover to meet halfway. The lady needs to learn to stop trying to please everyone. The tramp needs to learn to observe others in life as well as in art. Sune’s friends have a barrel of fun with what goes on. But Nelli’s boyfriend and Isukki aren’t at all pleased.
Taking your own path is always a step into emptiness.

Matti (51), a police inspector, Erkki (51), photographer and Rauno (51), actor, are childhood friends, who haven´t seen each other for a long time. They meet accidentally on Christmas Eve in Helsinki and spend the night together in a karaoke bar. Between drinking and singing they tell about the joys and sorrows of their lives, revealing some painfull experiences and taking even their friendship apart. The events take a dramatic turn, when a mysterious woman enters the bar.

Script: Mika Kaurismäki, Petri Karra
Director: Mika Kaurismäki
Actors: Kari Heiskanen, Pertti Sveholm, Timo Torikka, Irina Björklund, Tommi Eronen

Festivals:
Toronto International Film Festival, Canada, 4.–13.9.2008
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Estonia, 13.11.–7.12.2008

A cruel horror film bathing in the Finnish sauna culture, in the no-zone between Christianity and paganism.

Year 1595. The long war is finally over. Brothers Knut and Erik, members of a commission marking the border between Finland and Russia, commit a terrible sin when they leave a young girl to die a horrible death. As the commission crosses an uncharted swamp, the girl returns to haunt them, her face pouring endless filth. The weary men find solace in a nameless village and find a sauna—a sauna where all sins are washed away. Seeking forgiveness, the brothers step in… Sauna is a horror film about sins and repentance. The story leads us into the core of darkness where there is no hope, no salvation.

Script: Iiro Küttner
Director: AJ Annila
Actors: Ville Virtanen, Tommi Eronen, Rain Tolk, Kari Ketonen, Kati Outinen, Taisto Reimaluoto, Ismo Kallio, Viktor Klimenko

Niko & The Way to the Stars is an adventure tale about a young reindeer boy Rusty´s quest to find and save his absent father, whom he believes to be a member of the world famous Santa´s Elite Flying Forces.

One day Rusty is rehearsing flying out side home valley with his best friend and mentor, an old flying squirrel Julius, and with his potential girl friend Willow. They are discovered by a gang of wolves. Rusty leads his friends to escape back down to home herd, but unfortunately Black Wolf follows them secretly. It leads to the unfortunately death of Willow´s father, leader of the home herd. Reindeer herd has to escape from their no more safe Valley.

Rusty blames him self for the accident. He sets out next night to Lappish winter wilderness to find a new home with his flying hero dad, whom he actually has never met. Julius decides to help his friend, even nobody knows where Santa lives. Soon their way crosses the wolf gang, and Rusty finds out Black Wolf has a evil plan to eat and destroy the flying Forces, and replace Santa and the flyers with his gang.

With extra help from a wild blonde weasel girl Wilma, Rusty tries to warn the flyers before the wolves attack. Yet the final fight is not the one with wolves, but inside Rusty´s heart when he has to find his own place between two different worlds.

Script: Hannu Tuomainen, Marteinn Thorisson
Director: Kari Juusonen, Michael Hegner

Too much hard work, too little love in the marriage and even less self confidence prevent Päätalo from fulfilling his lifetime dream to become a writer. Until he finds a new love.

Script: Adaptaatio Kalle Päätalon romaaneista: Miisa Linden
Dramatisointi: Elina Halttunen
Director: Hannu Kahakorpi
Actors: Kai Lehtinen, Susanna Anteroinen

Lauri Mustonen, kidney transplant surgeon, and Pauli Bergström, insect researcher, are housemates at a prestigious address. Their home is owned by an elderly lady, Lydia Molotova, who hasn´t raised the rent for years. Complications erupt when Lydia hands the property over to her nephew as advance inheritance. Master Sergeant John Molotov, a greedy heir, instantly hikes the rent into the stratosphere and, as an added bonus, shoves his old aunt into residence with her erstwhile tenants: the kidney cutter and the insectologist. It’s an edgy situation but the two bachelors decide to follow Lydia´s advice and sublet a bedroom to help cover costs - with hilarious results.

Script: Heikki Vihinen, Timo Kahilainen
Director: Matti Grönberg
Actors: Mikko Kivinen, Heikki Silvennoinen, Timo Kahilainen, Heikki Hela, Tuija Ernamo, Mari Turunen, Ritva Jalonen

Director John Webster convinces his wife and two small children that the whole family should go on an oil diet, yet without having to give up their a middle class suburban lifestyle. All the everyday things that we don´t do, or that we can´t help doing, make up recipes for disaster. In this comedy of errors they find themselves questioning their values and putting to test their will power and ultimately, their happiness.

Script: John Webster
Director: John Webster

Festivals:
Nordisk Panorama, Malmö, Sweden, 26.9.–1.10.2008
Doc Leipzig, International Festival for Documentary and Animated Film, Germany, 27.10.–2.11.2008
Nordische Filmtage Lübeck, Germany, 29.10.–2.11.2008
Amazonas Film Festival, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, 7.–13.11.2008
Aarhus Filmfestival 08, Aarhus, Denmark, 13.–16.11.2008

Taru (35) lives a harmonic life in a horse farm with her husband Harri (40) and stepdaughter Ninni(13).

Everything changes when Ninni is injured in an accident with a horse and Taru asks Ninni´s biological mother Eve (33), who has left to Sweden ten years ago, to come back and see her daughter.

Eve´s short visit turns into longer stay when Eve realizes that she wants lost ten years of her life back. Longing after daughter Ninni rises to the surface.

Taru´s former life has relied on safety and routines and foremost in being together as a family with Ninni and Harri.

Step by step Eve starts to get foothold in the family for herself and Taru who is pregnant of her first “own” child loses control of her life.

From the past rises guilt and memories – anger and neediness. Everything that Taru thought to be whole and in control comes in question.

All those things that have been hidden past ten years grave to be settled and all four main characters have to search their own places in a new situation.

Script: Tarja Kylmä
Director: Hanna Maylett
Actors: Minna Haapkylä, Tiina Lymi, Jorma Tommila, Kaneli Johansson

It is 1918, and the Civil War is raging in Finland; the Social-Democratic Reds are fighting the Senate-supported Whites. Private Aaro Harjula returns from Germany and joins the non-socialist Whites. He is shocked to see how the Whites treat the defeated, rebellious Reds. He witnesses Red female soldiers being group-raped and executed without a trial.

One of the women escapes execution, and Harjula decides to take her to a nearby military tribunal. When Harjula is transporting his prisoner in a rowboat, she tries to escape, causing the rowboat to capsize. Both Harjula and the female prisoner are forced to swim to a desolate island.

On the island, her anger gradually dissipates, and a strange friendship develops between the two. They are rescued by a fishing boat and transported to the mainland. Harjula believes it would be best to take her to the court where a good judge will surely make a just decision.

Judge Hallenberg is lonely and bored, and the arrival of the young private and his prisoner provides a welcome change from his daily life. The judge is enamored with Harjula and wants to spend time with him.

The woman gives Harjula a photograph of a young boy and asks him to check how the boy is doing. Harjula finds the family where the boy is staying and learns that the boy´s mother is in the rebellious army as a “companion.”

Confident that the information will grant the woman freedom, Harjula returns to the court only to find out that the judge thinks differently about the case. The woman has revealed her real name—she is Miina Malin, a Red platoon leader. Harjula understands that, for the first time in his life, he must make a decision that will be unlawful and against the orders given to him— he must follow his heart. He wants to save Miina from death by any means necessary.

Script: Jari Olavi Rantala
Director: Aku Louhimies
Actors: Pihla Viitala, Samuli Vauramo, Eero Aho

The father of a Finnish family visiting the crumbling Berlin Wall rescues a cute puppy, Stormheart, and takes him back to Finland as a pet for his daughters. No one in the family knows anything about the dog, not even its breed.

Little by little, the mystery of Stormheart unravels, and the dog´s new owners learn more about him. They find out that Stormheart´s parents had served as guard dogs at the Berlin Wall.

In the film, drama, comedy and tragedy are created by the mere breed-typical behaviour of the Caucasian Shepherd. Pearl, the 7-year-old daughter of the Finnish family, takes the puppy under her wing. In the care of the tender-hearted family, trained only by little Pearl, Stormheart grows up with no rules or boundaries. In six months, the dog that has grown up to the size of a bear undertakes the task of removing all dangers, threats and obstacles from the path of Pearl, his little protégé. And Pearl, in return, loves Stormheart unconditionally.

Stormheart is a great animal story for schoolchildren and their families; it is a film for all people who love animals.

Script: Kaisa Rastimo, Marko Rauhala
Director: Kaisa Rastimo
Actors: Ronja Arvilommi, Laura Malmivaara, Janne Virtanen, Sara Tammela

Festivals:
Schlingel – International Film Festival for Children and Young Audience, 13.–19.10.2008
Cinekid Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 19.–26.10.2008
Nordische Filmtage Lübeck, Germany, 29.10.–2.11.2008
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Estonia, 13.11.–7.12.2008
Oulu International Children´s Film Festival, Finland, 17.–23.11.2008
4th London Children´s Film Festival, UK, 22.–30.11.2008
Screenings at Kinomaja, Tallinn, Estonia, 8.–11.12.2008

A tranquil summer day in the Moomin Valley is interrupted by a volcanic eruption and a huge surge. Water rises higher and higher, but at the last minute the Moomin family finds refuge in a strange house that floats to their rescue. It turns out this is not an ordinary house but a theatre stage, and the home of certain theatre-loving Emma. Somewhat reluctantly Emma agrees to help the Moomin family who want to produce a play which Moominpappa begins to write.

Script: Iivo Baric, Minna Karvonen
Director: Maria Lindberg
Actors: Tapani Perttu, Johanna Viksten, Jasper Pääkkönen, Elsa Saisio, Outi Alanen, Taneli Mäkelä, Jarmo Koski, Ilpo Mikkonen, Leena Rapola, Vuokka Hovatta

Festivals:
BUFF, Sweden, 11.–15.3.2008
Kristiansand International Children´s Film Festival, Norway, 22.–27.4.2008, IN COMPETITION
Hiroshima Animation Film Festival, Japan, 1.–8.8.2008
Square Eyes / New Zealand Children´s Film Foundation, AROUND THE WORLD programme, Auckland 2.11.2008 and Wellington 9.11.2008
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, Estonia, 13.11.–7.12.2008
4th London Children´s Film Festival, UK, 22.–30.11.2008
Finnish Film Week in Moscow, Russia, 27.1.–1.2.2009

Punksters & Youngsters conveys the amazing vitality of punk music and punkers. The “do it yourself” ethic draws young people to punk the same way it did when this new music style arrived in Finland. Pelle Miljoona, the great dinosaur of Finnish punk, is still going strong, and band members celebrate their 50th birthdays on the tour bus. They have released a new album and are adored by old and new fans alike. Akupunktio is punk. Just like the generation of thirty years ago, the kids today are drawn to shout their message to the world. But the makers of punk music also have other goals in their lives. Punk´s power is wide-reaching.

Script: Jouko Aaltonen
Director: Jouko Aaltonen

Why are some of the world´s biggest international companies translating an absurd foreign propaganda book into their own languages? Why are they trying to evade any serious discussion about their motives, and about the grim human rights problems and free speech violations in the Central Asian country of Turkmenistan?

Shadow of the Holy Book investigates the morality of international companies and the dictatorship of oil-and-gas-rich Turkmenistan. These companies help give the dictatorship the propaganda support that it needs to survive. Turkmenistan´s dictator, Saparmurat Niyazov, has written a ludicrous book: the Ruhnama, the Book of Soul, a key tool in the government´s subjugation of human rights and free speech. Yet many international companies give their clandestine support to the Ruhnama and help suppress the country´s voices of opposition and dissidence – in return for multimillion-dollar business deals.

Script: Arto Halonen, Kevin Frazier
Director: Arto Halonen

Festivals:
IDFA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 22.11.–2.12.2007
Göteborg International Film Festival, Sweden, 25.1.–4.2.2008
European Film Market, Berlin, Germany, 7.–15.2.2008
Tempo Documentary Festival, Stockholm, Sweden, 5.–9.3.2008
Eurodoc Festival, Oslo, Norway, March 2008
One World – International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, Prague, Czech Republic, 5.–13.3.2008
10th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival Images of the 21st Century, Greece, 7.–16.3.2008
Nicosia Documentary Film Festival, Cyprus, 19.–23.3.2008

Ricky is a ten-year-old boy who likes to play drums. He lives in an apartment building with his aunt Serena Rapper, a telemarketer, and dreams of performing live one day. Serena, on the other hand, dreams of Lennart Lindberg who lives downstairs. A girl named Nelly Butterfly moves into their building, and Serena encourages Ricky to get to know her, but Ricky is too shy. He does not understand how he could make friends with a girl. Serena writes a love letter to Lennart Lindberg, but the letter ends up in Nelly´s hands. The letter is signed by “your friend from upstairs,” and Nelly thinks Ricky has sent the letter. Nelly thinks Ricky is an idiot and writes an abusive letter to the “friend from upstairs.” When Ricky finds out about the misunderstanding, he wants to disguise himself. Nelly, however, recognizes him. She is lonely and wants to get to know Ricky after all, even though she initially thought that he is an idiot. The misunderstanding caused by the letter is clarified, and Ricky and Nelly become friends. But then comes a twist: Serena breaks her leg and can no longer cook and clean. Her cousin, Fanny the Freezer, moves in to take care of the household. For her, the two most important things in life are order and cleanliness. She can not tolerate drumming or other loud noises. Ricky´s and Nelly´s friendship deepens when Fanny confiscates Ricky´s drum. That´s when the adventure begins…

Script: Sinikka Nopola, Tiina Nopola
Director: Mari Rantasila
Actors: Niilo Sipilä (Risto Räppääjä), Mimmi Lounela (Nelli Nuudelipää), Annu Valonen (Rauha Räppääjä), Ulla Tapaninen (Pakastaja-Elvi), Martti Suosalo (Lennart Lindberg), Ullariikka Koskela (Pinja Perhonen) ja Teemu Aromaa (Pontus Perhonen)

Sarah is an autistic little girl whose father is worried about her health. Concerned for her, the father sees a removal from the hospital by force as the only option. An elevator break-down prevents a smooth exit and renders them trapped with others. Yet the incident is only the beginning of a descent into nightmare. As the doors open, the hospital appears mysteriously deserted. When mutilated bodies are found, creatures from a dark world start a frightening attack. It soon becomes clear that the survival of the group may rest solely on the little girl.

Script: Pekka Lehtosaari
Alkuperäisidea / Original idea: Mr. Lordi, Pete Riski
Director: Pete Riski
Festivals:
European Film Market, Berlin, Germany, 7.–15.2.2008
Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Film, Belgium, 27.3.–8.4.2008
Fantasia Film Festival, Montreal, Canada, 3.–21.7.2008
Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival, Korea, 18.–27.7.2008
Fantastic Film Festival Austin, Texas, USA, 12.–25.9.2008
Lund International Fantastic Film Festival, Sweden, 18.–27.9.2008
SCI-FI-LONDON, UK, 3.–4.10.2008
XVIII edition of Málaga Fantastic Film Festival FANCINE, Spain, 6.–14.11.2008
Science+Fiction, Trieste International Science Fiction Festival, Italy, 11.–16.11.2008
Indonesia International Fantastic Film Festival, 14.–23.11.2008 in Yakarta and 28.–30.11.2008 in Bandung

Tomi Laakso, a happily married man, falls in love with another woman. Instead of going behind his wife´s back, Tomi shares his feelings with her and finds himself in love with two women at the same time. Tomi´s wife Maria has to face the facts and realise that Tomi is still the love of her life. A love story between three adults.

Festivals:
Nordic Film Market Göteborg, Sweden, 31.1.–4.2.2008
European Film Market, Berlin, Germany, 7.–15.2.2008
Midnight Sun Film Festival, Sodankylä, Finland, 11.–15.6.2008

Blue Sea Film Festival, Rauma, Finland, 21.–24.8.2008

Script: Peter Lindholm
Director: Peter Lindholm
Actors: Kari-Pekka Toivonen, Liisa Kuoppamäki, Matleena Kuusniemi, Rea Mauranen, Taneli Mäkelä, Marjaana Maijala, Susa Saukko, Juhani NIemelä

8 Days to Premiere is a love story set in the world of theater. Romeo and Juliet is to be the season´s grand premiere. Noora, the female lead in the play, breaks her leg at the kickoff party, and Laura, an actress who due to her debilitating stage fright has ended up as the prompter for the play, gets a chance of a lifetime. There are 8 days to the premiere.

Script: Perttu Leppä
Director: Perttu Leppä
Actors: Laura Birn, Mikko Leppilampi

Festivals:
Cannes International Film Festival, France, 14.–25.5.2008
Midnight Sun Film Festival, Sodankylä, Finland, 11.–15.6.2008
Shanghai International Film Festival, China, 14.–22.6.2008, IN COMPETITION
New Nordic Films, Haugesund, Norway, 21.–24.8.2008