Love & Anarchy was launched with a boom! The first week of the festival offered us inspiring films and rewarding conversations.
The opening gala kicked off the 37th edition of Love & Anarchy film festival last night. And what a night it was!
The Love & Anarchy board chair Sara Norberg expressed her gratitude towards the participants of the “Save R&A”-campaign last year in her opening speech, and the artistic director Pekka Lanerva was there to present the much anticipated opening feature. Love & Anarchy superfan Topi Borg took over the stage, encouraging festivalgoers to go and see more films. And of course that’s what we shall do!
The opening gala film, Sean Baker’s Anora, threw the audience on a darkly humorous trip, and there was no slowing down in the twists and turns of the plot. It was evident to everybody attending that the Palme d’Or went to the correct address.
After the film it was time to head for the opening club at the glitter and pine decorated Korjaamo. At the beginning there was a surprise ballroom show, which was a stunning and glamorous start for a night of music and friends in the atmospheric Korjaamo Kino.
A conversation about cinematic well-being
The host and executive director of Lapinlahti Film Festival Sveta Romanova began by enquiring the panelists about their personal insights into the cinematic well-being. The conversation was intense, and an hour reserved for the conversation at Lapinlahden Lähde passed swiftly by.
There was a lot of talk about the well-being of the production teams and the question of safe space. The actor, writer and music artist Stella Massa and producer Emilia Haukka brought forth the question of bringing the views of minorities visible, while Denisa Snyder spoke about the actor’s role. The concept of inclusion and the need for a safety coordinator or a psychologist in productions were also among the themes, especially as seen through the experiences of making the film Parvet. Ville Pellinen as the CEO of Lapinlahden Lähde had a refreshing angle to the discussion with his focus on mental health, as the other panelists viewed the themes mainly from the insider position of a filmmaker. An intense and enlightening conversation overall!
Coffee with filmmakers
If you are not a Hollywood filmmaker, do you always have to stand as a representative of your native country and culture? Do you have the feeling about some topics that there is absolutely zero possibility ever to make a movie about them? These were the questions discussed over a cup of coffee on a relaxed Saturday morning between the guests of the “Coffee with Filmmakers” event at the cosy Juova Hanahuone. The guests were directors Baltasar Kormákur (Touch), Miguel Llansó (Infinite Summer), Søren Green (B.O.Y.) and Mikko Mäkelä (Sebastian). The conversation was hosted by film critic Kalle Kinnunen.
The guests hailed all from different countries, so there were four distinct views on the themes discussed, be it the question of national identity as a film director or the significance of language in films or how love appears in one’s work. A natural and jovial discussion offered great entertainment for movie fans – big thanks go also to the audience for the thought provoking questions!
Come have coffee with filmmakers again next week – same time, same place, only with another set of guests! Read more and join in.
A new generation of festivalgoers
On Saturday there was the opportunity for a first-time festival experience for the new generation of Love & Anarchy attendees at the R&A Kids event at Korjaamo. There was a child care service for children aged 3-11 and a film sound workshop for 7-14 years olds arranged by Pikku Gubbe.
Saturday evening continued at Korjaamo with a discussion about emotions together with the audience after the B.O.Y. (Bruises of Yesterday) screening in cooperation with Jäbät & Tunteet community. Søren Green, the director of the film, was also present and took part in the conversation.