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Diva of Finland

2019 | 91 min | K-12 | comedy, drama

Diva of Finland tells the story of Henna, a Finn who has just graduated high school and hopes to get out of her small town as soon as possible and create a music career. Around the time of Henna’s birthday, the beautiful and talented Silja moves in next door, who makes Henna so blind with envy that she temporarily loses sight.

After watching the movie, you can have discussions on the following questions:

The movie’s main character, Henna, plans her future after finishing high school. To what extent do Henna’s future plans depend on the opinions of others and external pressures? How much do you think external pressures affect your own future planning?
The movie is set in the small town of Pudasjärvi in Northern Finland. How does living in a small town impact the lives of the movie’s characters?
How does social media and the pressures it creates affect the lives of the movie’s characters?
In what ways did the people around Henna react to her sudden blindness?
Why did Henna pretend to still be blind even after her vision had already returned?

After watching the movie, you can also engage in the following activities:

Envy as an Emotion In the movie, one central theme is envy. Reflect with your group on what envy means and how it can manifest in different situations. Divide the group into smaller teams, and each team should come up with a short scenario or story that illustrates envy. The scenario or story should involve at least two people, with one person feeling envy towards the other. Each group shares their scenario with others, and then have a discussion on empathy. Consider the following:
- How could empathy and understanding be developed in the scenario?
- How could the characters in the story act differently to address feelings of envy more positively?
What Happens Next? Imagine Henna’s future after the events of the movie. Write a short story, about a page in length, about how Henna’s life continued.

Summary:

“Diva of Finland” is best suited for 9th-grade students in middle school and students in upper secondary school. It addresses themes such as future planning, which could be relevant for career guidance. Before watching the movie, the teacher should be aware that the film contains some instances of alcohol use and violence. It also deals with experiences of bullying.

Material Author: Minna Laakso / Mediametka