Level: high schools and vocational schools

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Gloriously Wasted

Juha Berg is a 30-year-old alcoholic from Kallio, Helsinki. Juha has no intention whatsoever of changing his lifestyle – quite the opposite. He thoroughly enjoys random sexual encounters, adrenaline-pumping violence, and of course, alcohol, for which he scrapes together money even by collecting bottles. However, his alcohol-fueled fun faces stiff competition when passionate Juha falls in love with the group leader of the AA meeting.

Santtu Karvonen won the Jussi Award: Best Supporting Actor.

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Madam President

In the documentary “Madam President,” we follow the everyday life of Finland’s first female president for nearly a year and a half, up until the end of her term. “Madam President” is a film about Finland, about the president as a leader, and the brisk woman behind the institution.

The production team of the film accompanies President Halonen in Finland and abroad, in cabinets and leisure. The documentary captures the routine and celebration from November 2010 to early March, when President Halonen handed over power to her successor. In “Madam President,” the viewer is present in situations never seen before moments just before significant public events and afterward, journeys and transitions, and all the tasks that constitute the work.

Director:
Aleksi Bardy

Starring:
Tarja Halonen
Pentti Arajärvi
Eila Nevalainen
Heli Sariola

Note: No longer available on Blu-ray or DVD distribution.

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Hush

Sakari and Veera get engaged passionately in love. Veera asks Sakari to help with an issue involving her father in a way that completely surprises Sakari. Sakari does everything to prevent his fiancée from carrying out her plan. Before the story is over, Sakari has had to make choices he never imagined he would face.

Director:
Jyri Kähönen

Starring:
Jarkko Niemi
Jemina Sillanpää
Martti Suosalo

Note: No longer available on DVD or Blu-ray distribution.

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Missä kuljimme kerran

Based on Kjell Westö’s Finlandia Prize-winning novel, the film explores humanity and love amidst the upheavals of the nation.

Early 20th-century Helsinki is essentially two cities: the idyllic world of the wealthy upper class and the slum quarters of the poor laborers. The story spans decades, illustrating how time, place, and social class both bring people together and drive them apart.

Independent and curious, Lucie (Jessica Grabowsky) refuses to conform to the mold of upper-class women. Her childhood friend, the photographer Eccu (Jakob Öhrman), passionately loves the wild and eccentric Lucie, but his heart belongs to Allu (Andreas af Enehielm), a young working-class football hero.

The film also features Allu’s father, Enok (Elmer Bäck), Lucie’s politically fervent brother Cedi (Oskar Pöysti), the humanist observer Ivar Grandell (Niklas Groundstroem), and other beloved characters from the novel.

Director:
Peter Lindholm

Starring:
Jakob Öhrman
Jessica Grabowsky
Andreas af Enehielm
Oskar Pöysti

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Pihalla

“Pihalla” is a romantic dramedy about young adults – women and men, relationships and community, career pressures, and cultural encounters. Laura is a German housewife who moves to Finland with her husband for his job. At first, everything is difficult. Laura’s husband, Arto, is chronically busy with work, making it impossible to get to know people, and November in Tampere doesn’t show its best sides. By chance, Laura is mistaken for a single mother, she makes friends in a single-parent support group and gets to know Tero, who organizes music sessions for children in a nearby playground. As Laura’s relationship with Tero progresses, she starts to feel more comfortable in her new hometown.

Director:
Toni Laine

Starring:
Sibel Kekilli
Mikko Leppilampi
Teemu Palosaari
Sanna-June Hyde

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The Creator

In the future, amidst a war raging between humanity and artificial intelligence forces, Joshua, a hardened former special forces agent grieving the loss of his wife, is recruited to track down and destroy the Creator, who resides in an unknown location. The Creator has developed an advanced artificial intelligence and a mystical weapon capable of ending the war—and potentially wiping out humanity altogether. Joshua and his elite team of soldiers penetrate enemy lines, venturing deep into the dark, AI-controlled territories. However, it soon becomes apparent that the target of the destruction order is a small child, posing a threat to the world.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows” is an action movie released in 2016, which continues the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series.

The plot revolves around four mutant turtles – Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael – who fight crime in New York City. The film begins as the Turtles have been anonymously fighting to save New York.

Soon, they encounter a new threat as the evil scientist Dr. Baxter Stockman teams up with the notorious Shredder. Shredder plans to create a device to release infamous and powerful Dimension X beings onto Earth.

The Turtles must join forces with their former enemy, reporter April O’Neil, and a new ally, Casey Jones, to stop Shredder’s plans. Their mission is to prevent Shredder and Dr. Stockman from bringing destruction to New York and the world.

The plot unfolds through themes of action, humor, and the brotherhood among the Turtles. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows” offers an entertaining adventure for all Turtle fans.

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Shrek

“Shrek” is an animated film released in 2001. It tells the story of a green, yet kind-hearted ogre named Shrek, who lives alone and unappreciated in a swamp. However, Shrek’s peace is disturbed when the expulsion of fairy tale creatures is ordered to his swamp by the ruler of Duloc, Lord Farquaad.

Shrek wants to regain his peace, so he strikes a deal with Farquaad: he agrees to rescue Princess Fiona, so that Farquaad can marry her and Shrek can get his swamp back. On the journey to save the princess, Shrek receives help from a donkey named Donkey, who accompanies him on his adventures.

When Shrek and Donkey arrive at Princess Fiona’s castle, they realize that Fiona is not quite an ordinary princess. Along the way, Shrek and Fiona grow closer, but Shrek soon faces the truth about Farquaad’s true intentions.

“Shrek” is an adventure filled with humor, romance, and twists related to the world of fairy tale creatures. It has become known for its memorable characters, clever dialogue, and unique storytelling.

“Shrek” won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature at the 2001 Academy Awards. This was the first time the award for Best Animated Feature was presented, and “Shrek” was the first film to be honored in this category.

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Kielletty hedelmä

Forbidden Fruit is a story of breaking boundaries and seeking freedom. The film tells the tale of two young girls on the threshold of adulthood who experience the adventure of their lives. Raised in the tranquility of the countryside within a religious family, the girls escape from home to the summery capital city in search of freedom and their first major experiences — to encounter a world that had previously been forbidden to them.

Starring:
Marjut Maristo
Amanda Pilke
Joel Mäkinen
Jarkko Niemi

Director:
Dome Karukoski

The film was awarded the Jussi Award for Best Supporting Actress (Amanda Pilke).

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Muukalainen

A young boy lives with his mother on a remote farm, deep in the forest. His violent father is incarcerated, and the boy occasionally visits him in prison. Life is simple until one rainy evening, a stranger arrives at the homestead — carrying a message from the boy’s father and a bullet in his side. Reluctantly, the mother and son provide refuge to the stranger.

Jukka-Pekka Valkeapää’s debut feature film is an enigmatic and powerful story of loyalty, betrayal, and love. Valkeapää’s cinematic talent gives rise to an exceptional work, whose artistic — stylistic and narrative — merits have been recognized internationally as well.

Director:
Jukka-Pekka Valkeapää

Starring:
Pavel Liska
Jorma Tommila
Vitali Bobrov
Emilia Ikäheimo

The film was awarded three Jussi Awards: Best Direction, Best Cinematography, and Best Editing.