Step into the Cinematic Storm – HIFF Begins

Finland’s biggest film festival Love & Anarchy opens today with two screenings of the indie hit NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS from the United States. Additional screenings will be held of the festival’s popular Gala films, which will go on sale this week.

HIFF opens with two screenings of the U.S. indie hit NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS. Additional screenings of the sold-out Gala films will be arranged next week. Additional screenings include the opening film NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS (27/9 Cinema Orion at 11:15 am), the Season Gala film QUEEN & SLIM (25/9 Savoy-theatre at 9 pm), PARASITE director Bong Joon-ho’s earlier masterpiece MEMORIES OF MURDER (27/9 Bio Rex at 9 pm) and the festival’s closing film BABYTEETH (27/9 Cinema Orion at 9 pm). Tickets to the additional screenings will go on sale on Thursday 17/9 at 12 pm.

More additional screenings will be released in the beginning of the second festival week.

The HIFF audience vote will be arranged for the fourth time in collaboration with the National Audiovisual Institute. The films in competition are BEASTS CLAWING AT STRAWS, THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, UNCLE, THE UNKNOWN SAINT and YALDA, A NIGHT FOR FORGIVENESS. The audience can vote for their favourite on the National Audiovisual Institute’s website. The winning film will be shown as the Film of the Month at National Audiovisual Institute’s Kino Regina in November.

The festival’s free programme includes NORDIC FLAIR MASTERCLASS: HEIKKI KOSSI where one of the top foley artists in the world, Heikki Kossi, talks about his work and performs for the audience. The event will take place on Friday 25 September in Kino Regina at 6:30 pm. Another free HIFF event is the screening of Bafta-nominated short films on 21 September in Kino Regina at 4 pm.

HIFF’s events programme offers conversations on topical issues. This year, the subjects include racism, criticism and representation in film. Highlights include a panel discussion on Queen & Slim arranged in collaboration with the Anti-Racist Forum and a panel discussion about the state of Finnish film criticism, arranged in collaboration with Kritikbyrån.

We warmly welcome you to the festival!