Special Screenings: Parties
Time: Sunday 23 September 16:00
Venue: Finnkino Plaza 6
In order to celebrate the election year, Nordisk Panorama is proud to screen Parties (Puolueet, Finland 2006), a series of thematically linked short films inspired by the main Finnish political parties. Directed by six directors and written by top names such as Kari Hotakainen and the late Reko Lundán, they present eight different visions of the political field in Finland varying from the ridiculous to the wretched. Using starting points in everyday reality, the films portray the parties, their mentalities and structures as well as actions and activities in a metaphorical and often very amusing way.
The film programme at Nordisk Panorama 2007 also features the Norwegian film Utopia – Nobody Is Perfect in a Perfect Country (2002), the original film that provided inspiration for Parties.
Boy from the Woods (The Green Party)
Directed by Juha Lehtola
Written by Laura Ruohonen
12 minutes
Three urban families spend a day together skiing. The youngest of the lot, a six-year-old boy, disappears in the forest.
Heaven (Christian Democrats)
Written and directed by Juha Lehtola
12 minutes
A story about a young mother, who takes a valuable painting she has inherited from her parents to be appraised at the fine art auction rooms. The art consultant, over a hundred years of age and bearing close resemblance to God, says the painting is just a poster. As the disappointed mother leaves the auction rooms, it starts to rain, and the water washes the paint and colours off the picture.
On the Way (True Finns)
Directed by Saara Saarela
Written by Kari Hotakainen
11 minutes
Two men descend from a tree, found a party and leave the forest to preach their truth to people in order to save Finland.
ÅÄÖ (Swedish People's Party)
Directed by Peter Lindholm
Written by Reko Lundán
3 minutes
We meet five people in one day. Gunilla, a 25-year-old English teacher from Helsinki; Jan, a 45-year-old unemployed; Olof, a 35-year-old farmer; Elisabeth, a 65-year-old lady of society; and Anna, a 50-year-old meths drinker are all Swedish-speaking Finns, but do they have anything else in common besides the language?
The Memory (National Coalition Party)
Directed by Peter Lindholm
Written by Agnieszka Tomaszewski-Lintula
13 minutes
When she was younger, Milla suffered from a recurring nightmare in which a bear-like creature attacks her. She sets out to find out where the nightmare came from, and is astonished to get two completely different answers.
The Town Manager (The Centre Party)
Directed by Zaida Bergroth
Written by Jan Forsström
11 minutes
Juupio is a small town losing population fast somewhere in Finland. Town Manager Koskinen is facing a tough situation: the people in Juupio are old and the financial situation is tight. A consolidation of municipalities with Pyhälä seems like the only option. It would take a miracle to save Juupio.
The Apple Drill (Left Alliance)
Written and directed by Paavo Westerberg
15 minutes
Johannes buys a food processor that slices apples into identical pieces. However, the blade gets broken and Johannes engages in a seemingly endless struggle for a new one.
Legacy (The Finnish Social Democrats)
Directed by Matti Ijäs
Written by Juha Lehtola
12 minutes
A storm is brewing, but Lauri, a 30-year-old urban man, wants to hang a big white newly washed sheet out to dry. His wife opposes the idea and a ridiculous fight over petty principles follows.
Production: Petfilms Oy (http://www.petfilms.fi)
