Finnish Film Archive screenings bring us charming archived footage from 20th century Finland. See below for more information on this year’s themes and screenings!
FINNISH FILM ARCHIVE 1: 100 YEARS OF RADIO IN FINLAND
In Finland, the radio has been much more than a communications device: it has brought people together, it has taught us, entertained us, and recorded the sounds and scenes of its time. This radio-focused screening is a walk through the 100-year-old history of Finnish radio, from early experiments and technical breakthroughs all the way to standardised public broadcasting and regional voices.
These documentaries and short films bring us scenes from the everyday life and celebrations of Finnish radio: consumer-focused device demonstrations, educational aims of school radio, a day in the life of the Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle, and the glory days of the radio industry. They also paint a picture of the radio as a societal force, bringing listeners, creators and speakers together in different times and parts of the country. The screening communicates a vivid and vibrant image of a medium that has been a staple in Finnish households for a century – and whose legacy still lives on.
FINNISH FILM ARCHIVE 2: TAMPERE IN SHORT
Tampere in Short includes eight short films from 1915 to 1967. These films create a layered look into the different decades of Tampere’s industry and city life. They capture the city’s workers in their everyday lives, document the development of industry and culture and demonstrate the human diversity of Tampere. City landscapes, factories, parks and suburbs are seen as they were in their time, and everyday life, work and leisure come together to create a catalogue of the city’s history. The screening highlights Tampere both as an industrial center and a unique cultural community, and offers a layered depiction of the city’s growth, vibrancy and everyday life on the big screens.
FINNISH FILM ARCHIVE 3: THE YOUNG AND RESTLESS
For decades, in addition to making their parents fear and worry, the youth has also caused significant draft in their wallets. Each generation has been ruined in their time – at least as far as the adults are concerned. These films and documentaries are focused on the everyday life, hopes, and dreams of young people: the parties, the first loves, the misbehaving and conflict, as well as the tensions between young people and adults. Most of these works combine humour and fairytale-esque devices to deliver educational or moral messages, revealing the fears, expectations and attitudes towards young people at the time.
The screening also looks at this theme through commercial films, in which the role of the police, the media, and the parents is highlighted. Commercial films and reports tell us how the identities, ideals and everyday life of young people has been interpreted and marketed to through the decades. As a whole, this screening shows us how youth culture has changed, and how films depict young people’s lives and the worries associated with them – worries that are always timely, and yet repeat themselves in every generation.
Sami Hantula, Tommi Partanen
Contact: tommi.partanen@kuvi.fi
