PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAARA MANSIKKAMÄKI
01
THE FILM
LONGER SYNOPSIS
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StoryTent mission is to share humanity’s stories in order to build bridges between people and create a more just and compassionate world. In Stories from Finland “FINNS”, the common people becomes alive and feels meaningful as they are seen and connected with the viewer.
We hear stories told by every generation, stories about hope, love, family, God, etc. We hear echoes of the past, the humbleness of the older generations, wounds, gratitude and happiness. In this film, we hear tales that enhance feelings of identity, cohesion, competence, success, appreciation, opportunities, pride, self-respect and empowerment. The StoryTent is finally a magical and intimate space where personal stories connect with the communal memory and form a poetic narrative about Finnish soul, yet based on the fundamental questions of universal, collective consciousness. The “Stories from Finland” is also a visual contribution, and the attempt to link the bipartite society by emphasizing common environment, values ​​and experiences. And at the same time: the path of life is basically immutable: love putting everything into motion, finding a pair, father and mother shape the fate of children. The purpose of the film is to open bridges between people and make visible the meanings and interpretations that we can call the human understanding of ourselves and the rest of the world. The movie activates us to really listen and motivate to share. It is a really important question that, are we indeed isolated and alienated, lost contact with each other and our own values ​​as well as ourselves. Essential, and the aim in this film is to find humanity, connect with shared stories.
Nearly 600 stories were filmed in Finland and I finally chose for the movie thirty-three. These historically and emotionally most representative personal stories form the dramaturgy body of the film. We go from love to birth, from childhood to youth, from famine to wartime, from urbanisation to prosperous and fastly internationalizing Finland.
The film is also an official documentary movie of Finland 100 years of independence celebration programme.
Every wiever can look this film as a mirror, and he or she will see him or herself.
This is one of the few films which really tells us more than just about us and our culture, it reaches something universal but recognisable. Really a great film and really inspiring experience.
(From:/ Erkko Lyytinen, commissioning editor, YLE).
03
THE MISSION
Stories from Finland
StoryTent mission is to share humanity’s stories in order to build bridges between people and create a more just and compassionate world. In Stories from Finland “FINNS”, the common people becomes alive and feels meaningful as they are seen and connected with the viewer.
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The main reason to look at the film will be the emotional tension of the whole film. We believe, that the strongest emotions come out of love and empathy exposing also the inner hidden feelings and thoughts of the people. As a whole, the film challenges the well-meaning viewer to feel, connect, think and share.
02
THE FACTS
Director's note
The documentary Film ”Stories from Finland” has been created using the StoryTent concept, which is based on a simple idea: take a portable green screen studio, which is built inside a tent, and collect stories told directly to camera with as little intervention as possible by the film makers. StoryTent is like a stage where stories can freely evolve without thematic limitations. Thus, the unexpected might happen. The diversity of stories might unmask that humanity has as many faces as storytellers. It might also emphasize that people living in Finland, and also from different cultural backround, have much in common: dignity, persistence, imagination, will power, humor, intelligence, courage, humility, nobility, empathy, love and passion... hope and faith.
The main reason to look at the film will be the emotional tension of the whole film. We believe, that the strongest emotions come out of love and empathy exposing also the inner hidden feelings and thoughts of the people. As a whole, the film challenges the well-meaning viewer to feel, connect, think and share.
Background
StoryTent concept was created ten years ago by dir. Benjamin Oroza and further developed together with Iikka Vehkalahti and Jussi Oroza. In Finland it became a popular Sunday primetime 67-episode short documentary series commissioned by YLE dokumenttiprojekti. Soon after the initial success, StoryTent expanded into a cross-media project. From over 600 stories collected in Finland, was also made an 8-episode one-hour radio feature series and an interactive web platform was established for viewing the un-edited stories. The simple idea to collect 20-30 stories in a day grabbed international attention at INPUT in Budapest, Sunny Side at La Rochelle, France and at Sheffield Doc/Fest MeetMarket. The StoryTent and 1000 stories open source cross-media project presented by StoryTent producer, Jussi Oroza was also awarded with Open Source Development grant from Nordisk Film & TV fond at the Nordisk Panorama Documentary Film Festival in Reykjavik. 2012. Benjamin Oroza and Jussi Oroza were invited to South Africa by STEPS International, with the StoryTent. The short films shot in Tembisa Township were shown for International audiences in C3 Towards Carnegie III. In Congo-Kinshasa, StoryTent collaborated with dir. Djo Mumba. Other StoryTent movie by Jussi and Benjamin Oroza Voices of El Alto 2013, were at IDFA competition and distributed in 49 countries within Afridocs project 2016 and Voices Bolivia, Voices South Africa were distributed on TV in 79 countries on Why Poverty project 2013.