Etusivu » free|Yle Areena

Service: free|Yle Areena

Browse all posts

Published:

Every Tom, Dick and Urpo

The letter, received by the Finnish National Radio’s phone-in program, hopes that in this era of Metoo and many other well-meaning campaigns, attention will be drawn to an unpleasant phenomenon, the use of the name “Urpo” as a synonym for idiot.

In this warm-hearted and humorous documentary, four men all called Urpo gather to reflect on the meaning and impact of their name in their lives. Will the use of Urpo still be decent in 2023? (Napafilms, 2023)

Note: The documentary is only available for viewing on Yle Areena, no physical copies are distributed.

Published:

Strangers in the Dar

In this experimental short documentary, light pollution turns a glowworm’s love life into a nightmare. The film follows the glowworm’s struggle to find a mate in an environment where it’s no longer dark at night. The story of light and darkness unfolds on various levels, from the planetary to the microscopic, from the peace of nature to the pulse of urban life, and from artificial light to the green glow of the glowworm’s tail. Directed by Perttu Inkilä & Jenni Pystynen. (Source: Illume Oy, 2023)

Note: The documentary is only available for viewing on Yle Areena, no physical copies are distributed.

Published:

La vie de bohème

Aki Kaurismäki’s adaptation of Henri Murger’s novel Scènes de la vie de bohème, filmed in France and in French, tells the story of three artists – Albanian painter Rodolfo (Matti Pellonpää), writer Marcel Marx (André Wilms), and composer Schaunard (Kari Väänänen) – and their struggles and friendship amidst the complexities of the bohemian artist’s life and poverty. Rodolfo falls in love with Mimi (Evelyne Didi), but is later deported when his residence permit expires. Later, Rodolfo returns illegally and reunites with Mimi, but the often harsh realities of bohemian life continue to challenge their romance. Mimi falls gravely ill, and the three artists do everything they can to raise the money needed for her care. During a visit to Mimi in the hospital, she asks Rodolfo to go outside and pick some flowers. When Rodolfo returns to the room, Mimi has already passed away. Rodolfo informs his waiting friends outside that he wants to be alone and walks away.

Director:
Aki Kaurismäki

Starring:
Matti Pellonpää
André Wilms
Kari Väänänen

The film won the 2007 Jussi Award for Best Direction.

Published:

Laitakaupungin valot

In the modern industrial setting of Ruoholahti, Koistinen (Janne Hyytiäinen), a lonely man working as a night watchman, is relentlessly bullied by his coworkers. He dreams of starting his own business and shares this aspiration with Aila (Maria Heiskanen), who runs a sausage stand by the waterfront. Unbeknownst to Koistinen, Aila harbors deeper feelings for him.

One day, Koistinen meets Mirja (Maria Järvenhelmi), who is secretly working for the criminal boss Lindström (Ilkka Koivula). Mirja pretends to be infatuated with Koistinen, but at the opportune moment, she drugs him and steals his keyring to assist Lindström and his gang in robbing a diamond store. Koistinen refuses to implicate Mirja and is sentenced to two years in prison.

After his release, Koistinen tries to rebuild his life from almost nothing. By chance, he encounters Mirja and Lindström in a restaurant. Seeking revenge for the betrayal, he later attacks Lindström with a knife, but is subdued by the gangster’s henchmen. Lindström spares his life, though Koistinen is beaten nearly to death and left on the shore. Aila hears of his condition and finds him, bloodied and lying on the ground. ‘I won’t die from this,’ Koistinen promises her as their hands meet for the first time. (Text by Lauri Timonen)

Director:
Aki Kaurismäki

Starring:
Janne Hyytiäinen
Maria Järvenhelmi
Maria Heiskanen
Ilkka Koivula

The film won the 2007 Jussi Awards for Best Film, Best Cinematography, and Best Set Design.

Available on DVD (not Blu-ray).

Published:

How to Fix the World

How to Fix the World is a comprehensive and informative documentary about direct action in the 1990s and 2000s, directed by Jouko Aaltonen. In the documentary, anarchists, climate activists, and squatters openly share their experiences and link them to mainstream societal issues. Extensive archival material sheds light on the continuum of direct action in Finnish society. What do the free city, community, and agency mean? The documentary extensively explores various forms of citizen movements, from squatting to riots and nonviolent civil disobedience. The film portrays critiques of global capitalism, opposition to the discrimination of the Roma population, the downfall of the Stop the Graffiti movement, and today’s climate movement.

Note: The documentary is available only on Yle Areena; no physical copies are in distribution.

Published:

How to Please

Iraqi Wed Al-Asad becomes stuck in the Finnish asylum system. He does his best to fulfill the desires of the machine-like labyrinth, but soon realizes that the only thing harder than getting in is getting out.

Note: The documentary is only available on Yle Areena; no physical copies are in distribution.

Published:

Kansanvalta

Young poet Laura Eklund Nhaga is seeking meaningful ways to influence the surrounding world. She explores various forms of activism, understanding that each of them can be effective in its own way. Eklund Nhaga moves effortlessly from the steps of the Parliament House to British university poetry nights and to the Capitol. The documentary by Greenlit Productions examines some of the biggest questions of the present moment, such as global change, the rise of populism on social media, and grassroots movements. The film is audio-described. (Source: Yle Areena)

Note: Not available in DVD or Blu-ray format.

Published:

Lyrics and Lace

Directed by Matti Ijäs, this stark comedy portrays itinerant poets and the agony of creation.

In a television interview, Tane Lintunen confesses that instead of finding subjects, a poet stumbles upon them: ‘As my old friend Maestro says – when truth walks towards you, skin it.’

The man embarks on an eventful poetry tour with the debut poet Tomi Rusko (played by Mikko Reitala), who comes from a university background. The poets read their poems and give lectures at various events. Lintunen teaches his colleague to observe women.

Paavo Pentikäinen received the Best Actor Jussi Award for his role.

Starring:
Paavo Pentikäinen
Mikko Reitala
Kristiina Elstelä
Irma Junnilainen

Published:

Risto Räppääjä ja Sevillan saituri

Ricky Rapper is in for an astonishing surprise! He learns that he’s the future heir to a distant relative’s fortune. The miserly man residing in Seville has amassed a colossal wealth with grand castles, and soon all of it would belong to Ricky. Consequently, the rambunctious Ricky needs to be groomed into a sophisticated young gentleman whose behavior would befit even the court, but that’s not quite easy. However, Nelli starts to suspect that things aren’t quite as they seem and decides to take action. The grand, mysterious house where Ricky goes to meet his relative is filled with hair-raising secrets and peculiar servants. This delightful adventure pulls Aunt Peace, Elvi, and Lennart into thrilling twists and turns.

Published:

The Unknown Soldier

Finnish garrison gets an order and their machine gun company is transported to the eastern border – soon, war becomes a reality again.

Directed by Aku Louhimies, The Unknown Soldier is the third film adaptation based on Väinö Linna’s classic novel. It describes the journey of a Finnish infantry unit in the Continuation War, that lasted three years. The film tells the story of Rokka, Kariluoto, Koskela, Hietanen, and their comrades – how fellowship, humor, and the will to survive unite men on their journey there and back. The war revolutionized the lives of both individual soldiers and those left behind on the home front, leaving its mark on the entire nation.

The film received significant recognition, winning four Jussi Gala trophies: Best Sound Design, Best Leading Actor, Best Editing, and Best Makeup Design.