Riding with Death
Lentävä kuolemaDetails
The tuberculosis sanatoriums were heaven and hell. Riding with Death is a documentary film that shows the emotional impacts of the TB outbreak and reveals the rich sanatorium culture between 1920–60. The film alternates between the present and the era of the sanatoriums. Patients in the sanatoriums had an immense social life: theater plays, spiritism, zines with macabre humor, and secret clubs for drinking and smoking. For patients, the secluded life meant a new heightened sense of living, as you never knew how long you would live. Lifelong love stories were born, as well as friendships, survival stories, and carefree sex.
DIRECTORS: Nina Forsman, Sakari Suuronen
SCRIPT: Nina Forsman, Sakari Suuronen
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Jarkko T. Laine, Theofanis Kavvadas
SOUND: François Yazbeck
EDITING: Jussi Sandhu, Nina Forsman, Sakari Suuronen
MUSIC: Miki Brunou
PRODUCER: Markku Tuurna
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Filmimaa
Directors
Nina Forsman
Nina Forsman (b. 1987) is film director and editor from Helsinki. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Documentary Film from Aalto University (2023) and she has graduated as editor from Tampere University of Applied Sciences (2011). Her recent films as a director are Reflecting Ice (28 min, 2019) and De Gallo Qui Ovavit (15min, 2024). Reflecting Ice toured festivals around the world and was nominated for the Best Cinematography at the prestigious Camerimage Festival in Poland. De Gallo Qui Ovavit had its international premiere in Visions Du Réel as part of the International Competition for Medium-Length and Short Films.
Sakari Suuronen
Sakari Suuronen (b. 1982) has an MA in Directing Documentary from The National Film and Television School, UK (2015). He has directed, edited and written several short films and short documentaries. His first feature documentary film was Koho – Future from Forssa (46 min, 2021). The film was presented in DocPoint 2022 and broadcast by Yle.
Contact
Anni Asikainen
Advisor / International Promotion and Cultural Export of Documentary Films
• deputy starting Jan 8, 2024
• festival distribution strategy for documentary films
• travel, project and material and marketing support for documentary films
+358 9 6220 3049