D-I-E movie situation in Finland

Describe

My hobby is going film festival. Basically, it is often the case that question and answer by guest such as director, actor and actress. In that time, the side story and that local social condition are explained. Additionally, there is opportunity of getting autograph, and taking picture depending on the situation. Therefore, you can understand the works deeply and feel interesting than normal watching movie.    

I went to various movie festival in Japan. Examples are Tokyo International Film Festival (hereafter TIFF), French film festival, Italy firm festival which are popular, long history, and invite generally over 10 guest each time. Also I went to the movie event, the Tokyo Northern Lights Festival. That was mini theater type, but I have the impression that was full. Finland movie festival is held in Japan, but that scale is small, and usually 5 works are screened.         

When I came to Finland in 2014, naturally I had interesting about movie festivals in Finland, then I went to the Helsinki International Film Festival (hereafter HIFF) and Season Film Festival (hereafter SFF). Also I went to Stockholm International Film Festival (SIFF) because Stockholm is close to Finland.

Interpret

In the first place, the number of film festival and movie events in Finland are very smaller than Japan. I recognize Finland has no even French and Italy movie festival. But HIFF sells movie pamphlet as with TIFF and SIFF, and that quality is good as with them.

As for movie works, Nordic, and Baltic has large proportion. But I have impression that many Swedish and Danish movies were screened than Finnish movies, and also Asian movies were popular in the viewers.

Regarding guest, surely HIFF has guest attendance. But I got the impression that number was small when I went. Overly, basically, SIFF have invited 3 big and famous stars. Meanwhile, this includes my subjectivity, but HIFF have invited 1 that level guest. Therefore, it gives the impression that SIFF scale is larger than HIFF.

Additionally, some screen works are doubled between HIFF and SIFF. So it is not strange that have only to go either one. I recognize above things means movie situation in Finland is inadequate vitalization.

Evaluate

But I felt recent Nordic movies quality has been improving. Yatabe, TIFF director, mentioned Nordic interesting movies are crowded. Also recently, the happiest day in the life of Ollimäki got the award Un Certain Regard in Cannes. Finland has the opportunity for catch the wave of Nordic movie trend. Finland needs to consider the further increase and support of movie works and events to accelerate movie and improve the Finnish presence in the Nordic movie category.

( pamphlet picture left: HIFF in 2014, right: SIFF in 2015 )