Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy showcases top films in monthly screenings throughout the spring. On Saturday, April 26, the festival partners with the #StopHatredNow platform to bring films celebrating hope and resilience, Memoir of a Snail and Uproar, to Bio Rex Lasipalatsi, along with a free-of-charge discussion event.
Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy offers the public exceptional films in the Love & Anarchy Presents screenings, held once a month throughout the spring. These screenings are organised in collaboration with Cinema Gilda. The next R&A Presents event will be held at Bio Rex Lasipalatsi on Saturday, April 26. Tickets for the screenings are available now!
The Australian animation Memoir of a Snail, which was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars, is the long-awaited new release from director Adam Elliot, who captivated the R&A audience in 2009 with his film Mary and Max. This tragicomedy, which tackles difficult themes with empathy and relatability, tells the story of twins who end up in different foster homes. Black humour and hope peeking through the gray clouds lighten the visually stunning stop-motion tale.
The coming-of-age story Uproar, set in lively 1980s New Zealand, follows a Maori boy (Julian Dennison, known from the 2016 R&A favorite Hunt for the Wilderpeople) as he balances his own identity with the desire to fit in. This heartfelt film intertwines youthful, innocent humour with deep reflections on the cultural identity of indigenous peoples. Directed by Paul Middleditch and Hamish Bennett, Uproar premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Between the films, a free discussion titled Hope and resilience – The power of subversive narratives will take place, moderated by researcher, activist, and ARMA (Anti-Racism Media Activist Alliance) founder Monica Gathuo. In the discussion, expert panelists will delve into themes of hope and resilience as well as the power of stories.
The April films are curated around the theme “Ecosystems of Hope and Resilience” of the tenth annual #StopHatredNow event happening in May. #StopHatredNow is an intercultural and anti-racist week-long platform organised once a year in collaboration with several art and intercultural organisations. The platform strives to create discourse and offers tools to create a more inclusive, diverse and feminist art field.
“We were inspired by the theme ‘Ecosystems of Hope and Resilience’ and chose two very different films based on it, both of which depict hope and individual perseverance with warmth and humour,” says Outi Rehn, Programme Manager of Love & Anarchy. “The protagonists’ stories evolve into portrayals of society and the importance of community. The young girl in Memoir of a Snail grows up under the shadow of adversity and depression and gradually learns to find the small, good things in life and accept herself. The coming-of-age story in Uproar centers on a Maori teenager who must find his place and defend his identity in politically turbulent 1980s New Zealand.”
Tickets for the screenings are available now! In addition to individual tickets (€14), combo tickets (€24) are available, which grant access to both films. Discounted tickets for students, seniors (70+), and job seekers are available for €12. Proof of eligibility for the discount group will be checked at the door.
R&A Presents x #StopHatredNow: Uproar & Memoir of a Snail
April 26, Bio Rex Lasipalatsi
17:15 Uproar
19:10 R&A Talks x #StopHatredNow
20:00 Memoir of a Snail
Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy, known affectionately as R&A, is Finland’s largest and most diverse international film festival. The eleven-day festival is held annually in September. The 2024 festival attracted over 55,000 visitors. The 38th HIFF – Love & Anarchy will be held from September 18–28, 2025.