Chimeras

Finnish documentary movie maker Mika Mattila has released a new film called Chimeras. Chinese contemporary art is wanted all over the world. In movie the talented Liu Gang and the father of Chinese modern art, millionaire Wang Guangyi, reflect on their identities amid Western influence. The son of a poor family, Liu Gang, takes photographs of billboard ads, and his rocketing career opens doors to the same jet set lifestyle he criticizes in his art. Identity crisis is imminent. Wang Guangyi contemplates his career and China’s role in the art world.

Screening:
Docpoint - Helsinki Documentary Film Festival
Sat 1.2.2014 19:00 @ Kinopalatsi movie theather

More info:
www.chimerasfilm.com

Hottest Finnish startups at the moment

It seems the latest efforts to Finnish startups are starting to show up it's results. Thanks to organizations like Startup sauna, Tekes, ArcticStartup and Aalto Start-up Center, events like Helsinki Startup Weekend are getting more and more popular. Also more funding and investments are pouring to Finland at the moment, for example game industry is growing very fast. The total value of the Finnish game industry is estimated to reach EUR 600–800 million this year (compared to EUR 105 million in 2011).

Check out the hottest startups in Finland at the moment:

Business Insider: "These 12 startups prove Angry Birds isn't the only hot tech product to come out of Finland."

Red Herring Europe: 12 Finnish companies tops to Top100 list in 2013.

And talking about the Angry Birds. Their latest achivement is the Angry Birds Toons channel: The animated series following the adventures of the birds and the pigs debuted in March 2013, has been a huge hit. By the end of June 2013, the Toons channel has gathered over 400 million views across their games, and has been a big hit with their TV partners across the world.

Bicycle film festival Helsinki 2013

Bicycle Film Festival - BFF Helsinki 2013 is on August 30 – 31! Program coming in July.
In Finnish the preliminary program is available already.

The uprising of the bicycle culture has created funny things around the bicycling in Finland. Or what do you think of these? A pianist on wheels (see the video) or library bikes in Helsinki.

Helsinki Music Centre - Prelude

Finnish documentary "Helsinki Music Centre - Prelude" won the Grand Prize at the Montreal International Festival of Films on Art (FIFA) this year. The documentary follows the construction of the Helsinki Music Centre.

The Best of Tampere Film Festival 2012

A Kiasma Theatre tradition, the Best of Tampere Film Festival screening showcases a selection of the best entries in 2012.

Details of this year’s screenings will be published in the week before the event here.

Kiasma theatre
Sat 17.3. 14:00
Tickets 7eur

The sci-fi movie Hollywood would not dare to make

Iron Sky, a Finnish dark sci-fi comedy about Nazis who have been living on the dark side of the moon since the end of the Second World War has turned out to be the unlikely hot ticket of this year's Berlin Film Festival.

The mood in Iron Sky is pretty the same as in Finnish Motion Novel movie called Thesis of Evil: dark scifi.

Seems the Iron Sky community has been involved somehow in Thesis of Evil also? The crew of the Thesis of Evil want to thank the Energia/Iron Sky community for the support!

More info:
Official site of the Iron Sky
Review by The Independent

Motion novel: Thesis of Evil

The animators of Thesis of Evil were wondering what to call their project in terms of genre. Is it animation? Well, sort of, but not in a traditional sense.

They (Mutant Koala Pictures) are using computer-generated camera movements to build a 3D space with elements moving in parallel layers to create a sense of depth. They photograph all the actors and add backgrounds, effects and camera movements in post-production. This gives us a look and feel of a graphic novel with live action and sound.

They decided to call it Motion Novel.

More info:
Thesis of Evil

Docpoint: 24.-29.1.2012

The 11th DocPoint – Helsinki Documentary Film Festival takes place in the cinemas of Helsinki city centre between the 24th and the 29th of January 2012.
The complete programme will be released in the turn of the year.

More info:
www.docpoint.info

Flow Festival - The Documentary

A story of the Helsinki-based music and arts festival and its contributors. Select 'CC' from the video menu for subtitles in English. Read more about the project at www.nokia.fi/flow

Rat Nights (Rottenetter) - When we will see the premiere in Finland?

Wondering why the entertaining norwegian movie Rat Nights (Rottenetter directed by Arild Østin Ommundsen) has not been premiered in Finland yet?

Rottenatter combines elements from the movies Wall street, American Psycho and Snabba cash. If you liked some of those movies you will probably like Rottenetter as well. Soundtrack of the movie is by Thomas Dybdahl and with that soundtrack he won the Best Norwegian soundtrack award (Amandapris) in 2009.

Alternate Reality Game (ARG) concept was the driving force for marketing the movie in Norway. Or what do you think about this campaign?

Rare Exports

This Christmas everyone will believe in Santa Claus.

More info:
www.rareexportsmovie.com
www.facebook.com/RareExportsMovie

Nordic short films in Helsinki: 24.-27.8.

Lyhytelokuvia kansalle! event screens the latest short films from Finland, Sweden and Norway. Movies are shown in bars, cafes and parks:

24.8. 0930pm Cafe Carusel (Merisatamanranta 10)
25.8. 0930pm Ravintola Nolla (Pohjoinen rautatiekatu 21)
26.8. 10pm Karhupuisto
27.8. 10pm Tervasaari (ampfitheater)

All films are subtitled in English.

Music video directors - ready, steady, go!

Miikka Lommi - Finnish wonder, indie music video director and so on presents:
Pepe Deluxe - Pussycat rock
Kississings - Anything U want
Husky Rescue - City lights

Here you may check out more of his music videos:
www.vimeo.com/miikkalommi/videos

And here you may see some ads directed by Lommi and his mates from FilmMagica:
www.youtube.com/user/FilmMagica

Great stuff!

Sketches of North - a film about Helsinki & Jazz

Sketches of North is a black & white film inspired by the music of "Agatha" - a big band album composed by Kerkko Koskinen and played by UMO Jazz Orchestra & trumpeter Verneri Pohjola.

Sketches of North peeks into the making process of "Agatha". The main collective behind the album share their thoughts on the creating process and the meaning of improvisation. Moreover, the film illustrates the compositions by placing their melancholic, but now and then cheerfully swinging atmospheres into Helsinki, a city of four seasons.

Sketches of North glides through the heavy winter towards the intense summer and the serene, darkening autumn. The bombastic and epic music shakes hands with the manic-depressive beat of the northern capital. The audial landscape in Kerkko Koskinen’s
music merges with the mindflowing narration of the film, and together they catch the dreamlike, poetically swinging spirit of today’s Helsinki.

More info: www.sketchesofnorth.com

Best Advertising From Finland

Baff.fi gathers and showcases the very Best Advertising From Finland.

Docpoint: Tempo - Silent Film Concert on Wed 27.1.2010

DocPoint – Helsinki Documentary Film Festival offers an unique silent film experience where the old Finnish documentaries of Aho & Soldan meet the improvised jazz of The Five Corners Quintet.
The concert is organised in cooperation with National Audiovisual Association.

Check these out also @ Docpoint: Google baby, Videocracy and Three miles north of Molkom.

More info:
Docpoint.info

Last Cowboy Standing (Skavabölen pojat)

Zaida Bergroth's first feature film Last Cowboy Standing (Skavabölen pojat) has won the main prize in Flash Forward -competition at the Pusan International Film Festival in Korea. Pusan is considered the biggest, most important film festival in Asia.

Last Cowboy Standing is a story about two brothers and their relationship. It is also a story about one family breaking apart in Finland during 1970's and -80's. Screenplay is based on Antti Raivios acclaimed play by the same name.

More info:
Production company: Juonifilmi
Homepage: www.skavabolenpojat.fi

Kinokompo vol. 1 and 2 DVD's - compilations of Finnish short films

Tampere Film Festival has cooperated with Suomen elokuvakontakti organisation in putting together the first compilations of Finnish short films, called KinoKompo vol.1 and vol.2. The DVD's include animations, experimental films and fiction ranging from 2006 to 2009. More information about the DVD's can be found at www.elokuvakontakti.fi.

In Helsinki at least Korjaamo shop sells the DVD's (Vol.2 contains English subtitles).

Monte Rosso Soundtrack CD + DVD is out now

Monte Rosso is a short movie from the creators of the cult series Madventures. It captures the language and lifestyle of a whole generation living in the boroughs of Helsinki.

DVD release also includes a soundtrack mixtape-CD featuring 25 tracks inspired by the movie. The CD is mixed by DJ Street Kobra & Croko-Roc.

Monte Rosso Soundtrack CD mixed by DJ Street Kobra & Kroko-Roc
01. Uusi Fantasia: Mänin teema osa 1.
02. Hector & Oscar: Savu
03. Jimi Tenor & Kabu Kabu: Magical World
04. Didier's Sound System: Impuls
05. Uusi Fantasia: Mänin teema osa 2.
06. Cascade: Sinun vain
07. Cameo: Kun laiva lähtee
08. Inga Sulin: Hassu homma
09. Kompostikopla: Syvälle
10. Tomi & Sirkka Muhonen: Väyrysen mantra
11. Paroni Paakkunainen: Mango
12. Kaukolampi & CO: Takaa-ajettu mies
13. Petri & Pettersson Brass: Tiidattattaada
14. Katri Helena: Vihreä ruoho
15. Mukajazz: Pedro goes bananas
16. Pepe & Paradise: Kapteeni Koukku
17. Uusi Fantasia: Takaisin-edit
18. Anki: Niin aikaisin
19. Joose Keskitalo: Asematunnelissa
20. Uusi Fantasia: Faija-edit
21. Uusi Fantasia: Nasty Raydio-edit
22. Ka So Re: Standing Still
23. Kap Kap: Full Mooner
24. Jarkka Rissanen & Sons of the Desert: Hip
25. Davo: Niinku täälpäin sanotaan

Madventures III - Behind the scenes

Finnish Madventures is on a quest to explore the most insane and strange destinations in the entire world!
Check out the behind the scenes clips available on Madventures YouTube channel.