Tell us more about your project. How did you gravitate to this subject, and what is the work about?
At its core, my film is a story of friendship between a rescuer and a victim – a relationship in which two women, who are lonely in different ways, receive attention from each other that they have never received from anyone else. The film deals with responsibility for other people, the allure of black-and-white stories and gossiping as a form of social glue.
I’m fascinated by the need for people to be seen and needed, to feel part of the story. In this film, I want to explore the strange thirst that we sometimes have for horrific stories and fates, and how a story of suffering can either sanctify a person or shame them. Exploring these phenomena is both dark and funny, and I enjoy the challenge of balancing the two.
What is it about the form of a feature film that speaks to you as a filmmaker?
I love the details. My idea for a new film often emerges from a combination of small concrete details and big abstract themes.
In a feature film, I’m interested in the possibility of immersing myself in the characters, showing them as being multi-dimensional and contradictory, and creating a rich world in which small and immense things coexist. I love films in which the filmmakers have found a unique cinematic language that does not explain itself but gives the viewer space to experience and think about what they don’t immediately understand.
What kind of themes and topics do you deal with in your work?
I find myself moving around themes in which cruelty and tenderness exist simultaneously between people. In binary terms, the lives and stories of women are interesting, but, from a broader perspective, it’s all about gendered circumstances and ways of survival in this world.
What kinds of challenges do you think emerging filmmakers face when starting their careers in Finland?
I feel that a key challenge is the scarcity of resources, which narrows the pool of people who can make films professionally. You need time and space to think, to develop your skills and experiment artistically, which money makes possible in practice.
I’d like to see a fearless and enthusiastic atmosphere in Finland that would encourage and celebrate bold and original works. The scarcity of resources often seems to fuel caution and safe choices. I think that art must also have the possibility to “fail”. You have to deal with the risk of failure in order to create something interesting. If the pressure to succeed becomes too great for beginners, there’s a risk of losing all vital and fresh thinking.
Interviewer: Ella Jaakkola
Photo: Riitta Supperi
