Historical Films in Theatre Hällä

The Tampere Film Festival and the National Audiovisual Archive continue their fine cooperation in bringing old Finnish short films onto the silver screen. This year, the theatre Hällä will treat the festival audience with four screenings named Finnish Film Archives which include films from 1937–1970.

The first screening is dedicated to Veikko Itkonen due to the 90th anniversary of his birth. In addition to this screening, Itkonen's work is presented through the full-length documentary Thus Was the Present Day Born (1951) which was ordered by the newspaper Helsingin Sanomat and screened in its diamond jubilee. As the name indicates, the documentary describes the events of the early 20th century through contemporary documentaries.

The second screening represents Finland as portrayed by Eino Mäkinen who shot the first five films of the screening before and after the Second World War. Mäkinen had to give up his career as a cinematographer due to an eye disease, but he continued as a director and scriptwriter. The events of the last film of the screening, Whoso'er a branch has taken (1951), take place in Tampere.

The third screening is justifiably dedicated to Valentin Vaala, thus celebrating the 100th anniversary of the director's birth. Three trailers and seven short films are accompanied by Course of Money (1951), a humorous educational film sponsored by the Finnish Ministry of Finance. In Lost Parts of Tampere (1967), wooden house blocks are replaced by a more modern townscape. The film was the last to preserve the beautiful milieus of Amuri, Kaakinmaa and Tammela on film.

In the 1960s, winds of change blew in Tampere as well as in other parts of the world. Canon of Short Film presents four films which capture the turbulent atmosphere of the decade. Nice Time (1957) takes place in London, 79 primaveras (1969) in Vietnam, A Quiet Week in the House (1969) is an absurd depiction of the times of the Iron Curtain and Scorpio Rising (1963) by Kenneth Anger delves into the mysteries of subculture. Furthermore, the screening Rake Special looks back at the Vietnam War and Vietnam's history with Emile de Antonio's famous documentary, In the Year of the Pig (1968).

MORE INFORMATION

Riina Mikkonen, Press Coordinator
tel. +358 3 213 0034 or +358 40 532 2912
riina.mikkonen@tamperefilmfestival.fi

Sanna Kyllönen, Press Coordinator
tel. +358 3 213 0034 or +358 40 067 7667
sanna.kyllonen@tamperefilmfestival.fi

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