Etusivu » environmental studies

Subject: environmental studies

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Heavy Trip

Turo, a small northern village’s own son, doesn’t care about hockey or fixing cars. In his free time, he is the lead singer of the hardest (and only) metal band in the area. Through a series of unexpected events, Turo and his bandmates get the chance of a lifetime—to leave their hometown behind and take the stage at Norway’s biggest heavy metal festival. The news spreads like wildfire, and the entire village celebrates their success. However, getting there won’t be that easy.

Turo’s heart is thrown into turmoil by the lovely Miia, a florist, who also happens to be admired by the village’s local celebrity—smooth-talking schlager star and Turo’s arch-nemesis, Jouni Tulkku. On their journey to the festival, Turo must overcome his stage fright to prove to himself, his bandmates, and Miia that he is a man of his word. But achieving this goal becomes even more challenging when the band accidentally sparks the first armed conflict in history between Finland and Norway—and takes a detour straight into the Vikings’ hell.

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Into the Wild

The film tells the story of young Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch), who, after graduating from university, abandons his privileged background, donates his money to charity, and sets off on a journey across the United States in search of freedom and the meaning of life. His ultimate destination is the Alaskan wilderness, where he plans to live self-sufficiently, entirely at the mercy of nature. Along the way, he meets many people who influence his worldview.

The film is based on Jon Krakauer’s book of the same name and explores themes such as individual freedom, social criticism, and the significance of nature. Its atmospheric soundtrack, particularly the songs composed by Eddie Vedder, enhances the film’s melancholic tone.

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Kuningas lähtee Ranskaan

A domestic historical adventure film based on Paavo Haavikko’s book of the same name. The story is set in future England, on the brink of a new ice age, fighting against total freezing as all energy sources have been depleted. Desperation spreads, and a young king decides to use his last resort to prevent the loss of power and the spread of anarchy. He declares war on France and sets out to follow in the footsteps of King Edward, who made a similar campaign six hundred years earlier. Initially, the campaign progresses smoothly, and Calais is conquered without much difficulty. Eventually, however, the ice age catches up with the troops, who suffer from the cold and thirst, and even the frozen wine offers no comfort.

The film emphasizes humanity’s recurring historical mistakes and how people fail to learn from history, repeating the same errors over and over again. It portrays the absurdity of human behavior, violence, and the abuse of power, along with the destructive consequences of these actions.

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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.

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Shark Tale

Oscar, a worker at the local whale wash, unexpectedly becomes a hero when he tells a big white lie. To keep his secret, Oscar teams up with Lenny, a vegetarian shark on the run, and they unexpectedly become friends. Oscar’s secret threatens to be revealed, and trustworthy friends Angie and Lenny come to his aid, helping Oscar find his place on the reef.

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Before the Flood

The documentary film follows actor Leonardo DiCaprio on his journey around the world to explore the impacts of climate change and how to combat it. The documentary is directed by Fisher Stevens, and DiCaprio serves as its narrator and guide.

In the film, DiCaprio meets scientists, activists, politicians, and local residents from various parts of the world who share their views and experiences on climate change. He visits melting glaciers, suffering rainforests, and islands threatened by rising sea levels. The documentary also addresses the use of fossil fuels, the potential of renewable energy, and the importance of political decisions in combating climate change.

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Migration

The Mallard family faces a small dilemma. Father Mack would be content with safe paddling in a New England pond, but mother Pam wants to shake things up and show her children—Dax and little Gwen—the whole world. When another migrating duck family returns to the same pond with exciting stories from distant places, Pam convinces Mack to embark on a journey—through New York to the tropical Jamaica.

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Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken

Sweet, clumsy 16-year-old Ruby Gillman desperately tries to fit into life at Oceanside High, but most of the time, she feels invisible. She tutors her skateboarding crush in math, who seems to only admire Ruby as a friend, and Ruby can’t hang out at the beach with the popular kids because her overprotective supermom has forbidden Ruby from going into the water. But when Ruby breaks her mom’s most important rule, she discovers that she is the descendant of the kraken warrior queens, inheriting the crown from her domineering grandmother, the Warrior Queen of the Seven Seas.

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Eläinoikeusjuttu

Activists have fought for decades for animal rights. Will they succeed in winning the battle against the meat industry, or is the food industry unstoppable? The movie portrays the structural essence of animal production and the systematic power play through three central characters. They engage in a David-versus-Goliath battle against what seems like an unbeatable industry and are willing to achieve their goals at any cost. The brutal undercover footage captured by activists has caused several international scandals, but will they ultimately succeed in changing anything?

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Kulkuri ja joutsen

After the war, Finnish entertainment legends Tapio Rautavaara and Reino Helismaa live the life of touring entertainers, where glamour is distant but a bottle is close. Esa Pakarinen also joins their company. A rift between Rautavaara and Helismaa overshadows the men’s lives, almost until the latter’s death. This film depicting the music scene of the 40s and 50s is an important subject. In Koivusalo’s style, however, it’s more of a collection of stories than a cohesive drama.

Martti Suosalo won the Best Actor award at the Jussi Awards gala.