Finnish Film Festival – 100 Years of Finnish Cinema

5 Films

1 Film left!

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SEL8NNE

Nov 29

The record breaking documentary film about Teemu “The Finnish Flash” Selänne and his unlimited skating speed, will give the Finnish Film Festival a powerful ending. The leading star in the movie, no other than Selänne himself, doesn’t need an introduction. The Variety Magazine called him “possibly the best-known export Finland has produced outside of Nokia”.

The film is a biography which will tell you the story behind the most famous Finnish hockey player. Come, enjoy and be impressed!

 

Location: Innis College, University of Toronto

Doors open: 6:30pm

Program starts at: 6.30pm

Tickets: $15

Discussion and reception with coffee and pulla follows!

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Previously shown

SIBELIUS 

Sept 27

Even to this day, Jean Sibelius (1865 – 1957) is one of the most well-known Finnish composers. Timo Koivusalo’s film Sibelius follows his career as he develops into one of the most creative minds of his time only to have the maelstrom of outside pressure and self-criticism to gradually suffocate his creativity. It is also about the great love story between Sibelius and his wife of just about 70 years, Aino.
The movie tells the unique story of Jean Sibelius. It is a life story, a love story and a story about the music that changed history.

Finnish music performed by Lili Ahopelto before the film.
Discussion and reception with coffee and pulla follows!

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THE MAN WITHOUT A PAST

Oct 11

The Man Without a Past (2002), directed by internationally renowned filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki, tells a story of an unnamed man trying to rebuild his life and make sense of his place in the world after getting mugged and losing his memory. It is both a humorous and melancholy story about people and society – typical of the unique Kaurismäki style.

The Man without a Past is a movie that defined Finnish Cinema and made Kaurismäki internationally famous director. The film won a slew of awards at Cannes Film Festival (including the Grand Jury prize and best actress for Kati Outinen), and it was nominated for an Oscar, making it one the most successful Finnish movies of all time.

Location: Innis College, University of Toronto
Doors Open: 6:30pm
Program starts at: 7pm
Tickets: $15 (or $65 for the full series)
Pre film talk by: Professor Emeritus Börje Vähämäki:“Aki Kaurismäki’s Contribution to Finnish Cinema”
Discussion and reception with coffee and pulla follows!

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THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER

October 25

The Unknown Soldier (1955) was and still is the most successful and most watched film ever made in Finland. Directed by Edvin Laine and based on a novel written by Väinö Linna, The Unknown Soldier has touched the hearts of millions by telling the story about the Continuation War in 1941. In the movie the story about the Continuation War between Finland and the Soviet Union is told through the viewpoint of ordinary Finnish soldiers. The Unknown Soldier occupies a central place in the consciousness of the Finnish population and it is a Finnish tradition to view this film to celebrate Finland’s independence. It is a movie you just want see over and over again.

In Finland The Unknown Soldier won six categories at Jussi Awards, including the award for the Best Direction. The movie was also nominated for a Bafta Award in 1959.

Location: Innis College, University of Toronto
Doors Open: 6:00pm
Program starts at: 6.30pm
Tickets: $15
Pre film performance by: Timo Närhinsalo, a Mannerheim impersonator.
Discussion and reception with coffee and pulla follows!

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THE ETERNAL ROAD

Nov 1

 

The movie The Eternal Road (Ikitie) is based on Antti Tuuri’s novel of the same name. This novel, in turn, is largely based on the historical research conducted by late Professor Varpu Lindström into the lives and fates of the Finnish Americans and Canadians who moved to Soviet Karelia in the 1930s. The film is directed by AJ Annila. The film premiered in Finland about a month ago and received exceptionally raving reviews:
An immediate classic! Heavyweight writer. Brilliant acting. A visionary film director. These are all things that make Ikitie – The Eternal Road one of the most successful filmatizations of a novel ever seen in Finland.

Antti Tuuri is an outstanding story teller, who always researches his topics diligently. The fact that he extracts much of his facts from Varpu Lindstrom’s writings serves to generate in-depth and emotionally accurate scenes, which are quite conducive to transforming prose writing to film. A large number of Tuuri’s novels have been made into film, for example, Plainlands (1988), The Winter War (1989), Ambush (1999), Mother of Mine (2005),and now The Eternal Road (2017) offers a dignified addition to this series.

(This a change to Our Finland100Toronto Film Festival – Tom of Finland is out, The Eternal Road is in.

The film festival organized jointly by the Finnish Studies Program at the University of Toronto and CFF has had to drop the announced Tom of Finland film. Unfortunately, it could not be procured. In its place will be shown a brand new highly celebrated movie fresh from Finland The Eternal Road.)