Discoveries from Finland World Cinema

A group of three male friends with domestic problems behave badly.

Flora & Fauna embraces the dark charms of nature. Rich, colourful close-ups of flowers, leaves, ants, spiders, and inchworms blend into the silent mystique of water and woods.

Iris Klewe is brought from her forest cottage by her bank-manager uncle Kaarlo Heinonen to attend school in Helsinki, where his wife and elder children resent the poor foster girl while only the youngest child and the cook show her kindness. Kaarlo’s financial troubles start to threaten Iris’s inheritance.

Timo learns about his grandfather Santeri's background in the workers' sports movement. Inspired by this, he begins to encourage his alcoholic father to practice his own sport, javelin throwing.

Finnish black metal is known for its extreme views and merciless no-compromise approach. As a music genre, black metal often has a strong ideological aspect. Satanic values, glorification of evil and unsolidarity, as well as pure hatred towards Christian and multicultural society, are more than just childish rebellion for the people involved. Eternal Flame of Gehenna examines the phenomena through interviewing the key figures of the moment. It gives a face to a subculture seen as a threat to common safety by Finnish Security Intelligence. In this movie, one will find out about the thoughts of a grave violator, grave robber, and hear what they feel when an old wooden church is burning down. Eternal Flame of Gehenna is also a view on the history and the current state of Finnish black metal, featuring bands like Azaghal, Azazel, Barathrum, Beherit, Enochian Crescent, Goatmoon, Horna, Satanic Warmaster etc.

Ilona Jonsson deceives the old industrialist Österberg. He takes pity on the poor girl, who looks like the doppelganger of his dead daughter. Also involved in the plot are Ilona's father, who was supposedly at sea but has just been released from prison, his accomplices Murto-Kalle and Ventti-Ville, a rival criminal gang, and the councilor's relatives, who are guarding their inheritance money.

A short film by Olli Ilpo Salonen.

Documentary film about love, relationships and sexuality of elderly men and women. Five couples show how intimacy is still strong even though age and body has changed.

Eija is the wife of a busy business owner, carrying the burden of taking care of a family. During her weak moments, Eija writes a letter that comes back to haunt her. Suddenly she has to reevaluate everything about her life.

Otto and Kaija have celebrated their surprise wedding, but after a coctail party nothing between them is the same as Otto does not remember what actually happened, and the mess is ready when Otto's American uncle who hates women comes for a visit.

Operation Alaska is a fictional documentary and extensive web series based on real American plans and proposals to evacuate Finns to Alaska between 1940 and 1944 in the event of a Soviet invasion of Finland.

Actor Tiina Vainio has to make an audition tape in a hotel room as soon as possible for the role of her life.

Independence Day celebrations at the Finnish presidential palace December 6, 1960.

A farm trader falls in love with a rich girl with many admirers.

Taru lives with her husband and this teenage daughter Ninni. The family's life is shaken when Ninni has an accident and Ninni's biological mother and Taru's half-sister Eve show up. Soon things from the women's past will surface.

Rainer Sarmo and Mikko Vehmer stumble upon a Russian counterfeit league. They help Leila Varta, who tries to save her brother Raimo from the evil Josef Hakim. The beautiful pianist Maria Lichter is puzzled by the events.

Teenager Erik returns from Paris to Finland in a rowboat and is accosted by a gang of youths in the countryside. He walks to Helsinki, returns to his parents' home and his old high school filled with angry radical teens who, typically for the era, consider the teacher-imposed discipline as another form of capitalist imperialism. Almost reluctantly Erik drifts together with Annika, a girl from a wealthy family, and starts experimenting with sex and marijuana. In the same nonchalant manner Erik gets involved in demonstrations and school politics which escalate into a violent school strike leading to police intervention and heavy sanctions.

Have you ever wondered how your old schoolmates are? Perhaps the guy next to you, who is doing time in jail at the moment, still thinks you are his best and only friend. Perhaps your first crush might've been interested in you all these years but was too afraid to tell you that. Perhaps, if it were not too late already, the bullied one would've done everything differently.

A woman meets a man who tells her that they have known each other 11 years ago and wishes to take her out. Woman does not recall him and in her mind she thinks back and goes through several random meetings from the past, yet he does not seem to be any of those men from her past. Woman continues the relationship and tries to solve the mystery, which at the end is revealed.

Three animal rights activists find themselves involved in a horrendous scheme of morals set up by a psychopath known only as The Vet.

An alcoholic major Remes gets frustrated in the barracks and asks for a leave of absence. It is agreed to on the condition that Remes conducts one more military exercise. During that, Remes runs into a cunning career criminal Oiva Juntunen, who has hidden gold bars in the forest.

Autobiographical vanity showcase commissioned by Tabe Slioor, a self-made socialite and notorious symbol of loosening morals in early 1960s Finland. The film exploits the scandal she caused as the secret mistress of the mayor of Helsinki. Left unfinished because of her quarrels with the production company, the story relies heavily on her shamelessly narcissistic narration.

An architect, who has recently married a new, younger wife, tries to re-connect with his ex-wife, who is being courted by another man.

A silent film about a sorrowful man who's searching for a buyer for his goods and acceptance for his existence.

The Finnish architect Alvar Aalto (1898–1976) is one of the great figures of modern architecture, ranked alongside Gropius, Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe. This film analyses Aalto’s uniquely successful resolution of the demands and possibilities created by new technology and construction materials with the need to make his buildings sympathetic both to their users and to their natural surroundings. His inventive use of timber in particular represents both a reference to the forest landscape of Finland and a building material that is ‘warm’ and extremely adaptable. Filmed in Finland, Italy, Germany and the USA, this documentary shows how the Finnish natural environment and art traditions were essential elements in Aalto’s pioneering harmonization of technology and nature.

Able to turn abandoned items into useful tools, two eccentric bugs embark on an odd adventure in search of food and resources.

A western set in the "Wild North". The Vornan brothers Joel, Tommi, and Kai are framed for the robbery of a gold-laden carriage and the murder of its drivers. Behind the accusations are Kristo, the saloon owner, and Markus, the bank manager, who wants to marry Karin, the daughter of Jäära, the richest man in the north.

Harri, a usually calm middle-aged man, loses his temper at a bar. His behavior towards the bartender Raija weighs on his mind, so he returns to make things up to her. This ends up being the catalyst for an unlikely and unwitting relationship between the two.

Reino Köyri the son of a wealthy house falls off a horse and ends up at Liuhala's cottage to be treated by Venla. There he falls in love with the daughter of the house Anna. The couple’s cohabitation is hampered by previous commitments and ambiguities in kinship.

An asphalt contractor, who has sacrificed his life to make a profit, finds himself in a financial dead-end. The ever gentle-minded road engineer Rauno Kannisto is hired to the construction site, to build a road that cuts through the vast forests by the Russian border. He knows nothing of the financial difficulties. Soon, Rauno finds himself in a situation where he doesn't know which way to turn. The sub-contractor becomes the main contractor, workers are loaded in containers from the other side of the border, and the contractor's wife has a smile that makes you lose your sleep. Middle of the Road is a dark comedy about loyalty and greed.

Trade union film portraying dock work

A documentary about the trials and tribulations of being a entrepreneur and film maker in Finland from the makers of Iron Sky franchise.

After Matti is stabbed to death at his own wedding, Eero of Ojelmiston becomes a suspect, presumed to have avenged his recently deceased wife. Eero escapes with the help of a court judge but surrenders after his mother gets into trouble. At the courthouse, the priest admits that Vieremä Jaska confessed to the crime on his deathbed. The film has survived, but without subtitles.

On a road trip across Finland, Jari stops in a small town where he meets Marja. The young people continue their journey together all the way to Haaparanta, until a police raid reveals that Jari's car is stolen. Their escape takes them even further north, where they team up with a gold miner.

We have three to five different dreams every night. Most of those are quickly forgotten. But sometimes the dream can be different - deeper. It purifies and soon you're hungry for more.

Vuokko takes shelter from a thunderstorm in a fishing hut and meets a mysterious man whom she suspects is the smuggler Rompan Eetu. Instead of reporting him, Vuokko decides to follow him to Helsinki to the smugglers' hideout on the condition that he agrees to turn himself and his comrades in to the police.

Love Is a Treasure is a 55-minute film about the world of women who have developed psychoses. It consists of five episodes each telling the story of one woman. The episodes are based research and interviews but the stories and dialogue are fiction, combinations of different elements. —The Cinematic Works of Eija-Liisa Ahtila

Without knowing about each other, bachelors Salomon, Arvi, and Martti each hire a domestic helper for their shared apartment. The job goes to the energetic professional Manta and the modern young women Helvi and Aili, who are looking for a position to prove their point about the issue of domestic service.

My father from Sirius is a film about a boy who grew up believing his father is a messenger between the Earth and the outer space. Now the boy has become a man who wants to find out what is true in his father’s worldview. And what is not. Veikko Paakkanen, the father of the director Einari Paakkanen, believes that he’s able to cure people from cancer, see extraterrestial beings and contact the afterlife.

Thoroughly dark and pessimistic old-fashioned erotic vampire film

The first Star Wreck animation was inspired by the classic computer game Star Control 2. Star Wreck I was drawn frame by frame using Deluxe Paint Animation, so the visuals are just as crude as the dialogue. Then again, this was one of Samuli's animations to have dialogue. The only thing Star Wreck I has in common with the later episodes are the characters' names. The so called plot is simple: Plingons are attacking Earth and the CPP Kickstart must fight them off. The story is bad, the graphics are bad and the acting is really bad. This is a classic!

Dragonlord is a treasure-obsessed hunter whose best friend is a Tyrannosaurus Rex called Blaze Falcon. Rather than hunt for yet more treasure, however, Blaze just wants to hang out and play video games. But when he's kidnapped by the evil Dreadmancer, Dragonlord must pull together an Avengers-like team of bonkers heroes to save his dino buddy.

A comedy of crime, romance and deception played out against the background of a vacation under the Mediterranean sun.

Intoxicants offered Pinja a connection to her mother. What will their lives be based on when they both decide to get sober?

Poetic short film

Kebi, Serge, Musa, and Hector come from different parts of the world, but they have one thing in common: they have all been tortured in their home countries. Contrary to their expectations, they survived the torture and they now all live in Finland. Life goes on, but with certain limitations. The torture has had a severe impact on them.

Two conservative men are surprised when they find out that their wives are actually athletes.

The story of Finnish boxer Joni, who brings up a son Simppa from his relationship with Polish girlfriend Eva. The mother left them years ago and returned to Poland. Eve is about to marry, but she still loves Joni.

See how Pirk got stranded in the past! Star Wreck V: Lost Contact was the first film to use live actors instead of cartoons. Real sets would have cost too much, so we decided to try bluescreen, just for fun. Our expectations weren't high, but it worked. So the movie was shot against a cheap blue bed-sheet and the blue background was replaced with spaceship bridges. The story was a parody of Star Trek: First Contact. The Korg send a ship back in time to 20th century Earth. The Kickstart, being the only functioning P-fleet ship around, has to follow. The Korg plan to assassinate rockstar Jeffrey Cochbrane (Played by Rudi Airisto and a pair of sunglasses) and his band Dethdestro before their concert attracts the attention of Vulgars. This would stop humanity's first contact aliens and change the future. If that wasn't bad enough, all Jeff wants to do is play loud and drink too much, but now Pirk and his crew must force him to save the world...

Märta arrives at a mental hospital where she has been hired, secretly pregnant with Albert’s child. She shares a room with Sister Elsa who quickly raises her suspicions. Märta finds evidence of Elsa being Albert’s lover. One of the patients, Louise, is interested in Märta and a friendship starts to develop. Realising her relationship with Albert has no future, she tries to abort the child, but fails. After recovering, Louise approaches her, wanting help to escape. Märta finds out Louise is engaged to Albert and her world collapses. After Louise escapes Märta decides to help after all, in her own way.

Boy Dallas lives in the slum of Kibera, the capital of Kenya, Nairobi. He is a radio host, "The Voice of Kibera." Dallas is a self-taught cameraman, and with a spare camera, he sets out to find out why the neighborhood, which has long been the target of aid, is still in such terrible trouble.

Impivaara – A New World adapts Finnish national author Aleksis Kivi's novel Seven Brothers (1870) for the 21st Century. The emphasis is on the climate crisis, the energetic basis of our culture and the co-dependencies of human and more-than-human worlds.

Lidia has been babysitting 13-year-old Toivo for several years. When Lidia gets accepted to study abroad, the two face a new situation. What is it to say goodbye? Marco Polo tells a story of a shared game and the emotional weight of an inevitable goodbye between two people who both are at a turning point in their lives.

The fate of a culture lies on the shoulders of few determined individuals.

A prototype for a Finnish advertising film that is taking its first steps. The frame story is about an evening at a restaurant. Presentations include furs, overcoats, margarine, coffees, creams, cigarettes, and Lahti's special beers.

Esko is a famous writer in his eighties who has had a close circle of friends since his youth. Only Heikki is left of the group and after the traditional pre-Christmas party, Esko unexpectedly decides to write his next book about the events of the summer of '74, which were to remain a secret until his death. In that summer of the 70s, Esko, in his early twenties, set off with three friends to search for the inheritance left by his grandfather, not knowing what they would find. At the destination, in the middle of the wilderness, the boys unexpectedly meet another group of hikers. There's admiration and a little jealousy in the air. A relaxed trip and summer fun takes a new turn when the inheritance is discovered, secrets are uncovered and, finally, greed inadvertently involves the friends in an event that will change the rest of their lives.

Part four in the Emilia animation series. King Oskar rules his little kingdom, which is an island in the sea. After the king falls ill, people at first wonder how they will get along without Oskar. But then they start to listen to themselves, obey themselves and come up with a lot of new things.

Long-Range Patrol is a story about the Squad Peltoniemi Patrol trip to the enemies backside in spring 1943. The capturing of a Russian female soldier changes the whole task from a routine mission to a battle for survival.

A documentary about Kari Aro, the distinctive manager of Koho -hockey-stick factory, whose visions were to change the world. Story about the fairy-tale -like success, the destructive power of money and Aro's faith in goodness of people.