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Popular Music from Vittula
(Populäärimusiikkia Vittulajänkällä) |
A story of the life of the Finnish minority in Swedish Lapland in the 1960s |
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Script: |
Erik Norberg, perustuu Mikael Niemen romaaniin |
Director: |
Reza Bagher |
Cinematography: |
Robert Nordström |
Set design: |
Anna Asp |
Production: |
Joakim Stridsberg/ Happy End Productions/ Ruotsi |
Co-Producer: |
Markus Selin |
Shooting: |
8/03– |
Budget: |
2.224.000 € (SES 100.000 €) |
Lenght: |
120 min |
Release: |
8.10.2004 |
Actors: |
Björn Kjellman, Kati Outinen, Sten Ljunngren, Jarmo Mäkinen, Martti Suosalo, Jussi Lampi, Gustav Viklund, Tuula Nyman, Tarja-Tuulikki Tarsala, Ona Kamu, Kirsti Väänänen, Panu Vauhkonen ja Jari Hietanen
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Synopsis: |
Popular Music from Vittula is an eye-opening and drastic story about two close friends Matti and Niila, growing up in the mid sixties in the harsh and conservative environment of a Finnish-speaking part of Tornedalen in Swedish Laponia, close to the Finnish border. Their big dream is to become rock stars. In the present the now grown up Matti feels guilt for the death of his drug-addicted rock star friend Niila.
It is a region that feels less worthy and has no real national identity, since they speak neither perfect Swedish nor perfect Finnish and do not feel like real Swedes or Finns. The boys live in a small town called Vittula (means pussy-swamp, it was named this because so many children were born there).
When they first hear the Beatles single Rock and Roll Music, their lives change forever. The music intoxicates them and becomes a weapon with which Niila fights for independence from his tyrannically religious father and reaches for the idea of tangible freedom (climbing the Himalayas one day ). In Vittula playing music is not considered masculine, but finally when they are fifteen a new music teacher helps with their struggle.
Eventually the friends go separate ways, Matti is interested in girls and lets down Niila and the band. Niila never forgives Matti and says he cannot stand the intolerance and the nothingness of life in the north.
In the epilogue, Matti, who still lives in Vittula, carries the urn with Niila´s ashes up to the top of a mountain in the Himalayas. Matti learnt an important life lesson from Niila, that if you are brave and follow your heart you will finally reach the top.
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Festivals: |
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Awards & Prizes: |
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Production |
Solar Films Oy
Veneentekijäntie 20
00210 Helsinki
Tel. +358 9 417 44 700
Fax. +358 9 417 44 744
Email. markus.selin@solarfilms.com
Internet www.solarfilms.com
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Distribution in Finland |
FS Film Oy
Urho Kekkosenkatu 4-6 E, 5 krs
00100 Helsinki
Tel. +358 207 300 460
Fax. +358 207 300 461
Internet www.fs-film.fi |
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