How did your film project begin, and under which circumstances?
I was deeply annoyed, sad and confused by the pictures in some of the social medias of young girls posing like they would be selling themselves in a dirty and worthless ways. I was like WTF, WHY? And then I recalled some feelings of looking for love from the wrong places myself  – and then I just had to do the film.

What was the biggest challenge making the film – artistically as well as technically?
Maybe it was the intimacy of the characters and how to protect them. And technically it was really really hard to make all the different material (archive, animation, film) flow in the editing –

Why did you choose this specific visual and narrative approach for your film?
I feel like the story chose this form, not me… Hard to say, I just followed my heart.

What was the most important thing you learned from the people you’re describing in your film?
That I deserve to be loved in a pure and holy way. And I do not have to treat myself like shit even when others do.

What do you want the audience to take away from your film?
I am extremely happy if someone understands himself or herself or someone else even a bit more –

How do you look back at the result yourself?
First I was so embarrassed to even show it anyone– I don´t really want to look at my previous works but when I last time had to saw it I thought – actully, this is not bad at all! I am a big fan of all the artists and people who I worked with and I enjoy watching their work. Actually there are some scenes that still make me cry and some make me laugh and some both these at the same time. I think that it is an important film.

Which contemporary Nordic documentary film has made the biggest impression on you?
I think it would be Anu Kuivalainen`s Orphans Christmas.

Which aspect of life in the North have the documentaries neglected in the recent years?
Spiritual aspect definitely. It is not really hot right now.

What’s your next documentary about and why have you chosen this subject?
I am currently working on two films. One is about alcoholism told from inside and from childrens perspective, spiced with some black and pink tragic humor and sensitivity – not to forget poetry! – Alcoholism is my familys and my nations sickness. The film is called the Little mouse and other drunks.

The other one is called Santra and the talking trees – it´s about existential insecurity when cultures meld together and all the old stuff disappears – like songs, spells and the knowledge – which is different from the information that we have even too much right now. It is about a girl traveling around the world and also in time and finally meeting one ancient Karelian woman in the woods on the borders of Finland and Russia… This film is going to be out soon!

I am really lousy at talking about my work… You have to see them to tell me what they are about. Maybe the subject chooses the person and not the other way around. That is if you let them.

If you could change one thing about the conditions of making documentaries in the Nordic countries, what would it be?

I would definately increase the financial support to the distribution of ”arthouse” and ”contemporary” (documentary)films to be at the cinemas from coverments, foundations, mesenates, companies – meaning that it is not only the financial profit on things that is important. Just for the sake of the cultural value of these not-so-commercial films.

Just like other artforms – it would be really boring to be able to buy only detective or romantic stories or listen to top 10 artists all the time or be able to buy only portraits of some gray men on your wall.. It would be also very boring to be able to buy only poems and only contemporary classical music or paintings..

Not that I wouldn´t love Rihanna or read some entertaining books myself or .. well, gray men I don´t have on my wall but I have some boring nature scenery paitings, but than I am happy to be able to consume other kinda art as well. The opportunity to choose something else is a human right.

So, how can one choose somenthing else if one doesn´t even know what exists? Screening alternative films in cinemas would be a cultural act of love towards the cinematic art. This artform is so young – compared for example to fine arts. We have a lot to find!

[Return to Nordic Reality DVD: Director interviews]