This Autumn, we are back with a series of screenings as part of our Between Earth and Sky
programme – a deep dive into nature to cast a fresh look at the way we interact with our environment.
From the environmental cause of young activists in Once Upon a Time in a Forest, to the beauty of aquatic ecosystems in Tale of a Lake and the fragility of traditional ways of life in The Raven’s Dance: each film invites us to reflect on perseverance, attachment to the land and the ecological challenges of our time.
As always on screening evenings, Institut finlandais’ boutique and Café Maa will remain open until the film starts at 7pm. Enjoy a drink or a snack before the film! Buy your tickets from our
online shop.
Thursday 10 October 2024 at 7pm
Once Upon a Time in a Forest (2024)
Havumetsän lapset
Directed by Virpi Suutari
French subtitles, 93’
Once Upon a Time in a Forest is a documentary which follows a group of activists determined to protect Finland’s last coniferous forest. The film highlights the ecological sentiments of the protagonists, particularly through the perspective of 22-year-old Ida. It explores her relationship with nature and the inevitable activism that stems from it. Virpi Suutari sensitively captures contemporary environmental issues and the intense emotions of the young generation facing climate change.
Thursday 24 October 2024 at 7pm
The Raven’s Dance (1980)
Korpinpolska
Directed by Markku Lehmuskallio
French subtitles, 79’
This film follows the daily lives of a young couple and an old man living in a small, remote house in the heart of the vast northern forests. They lead a simple existence, living off hunting and fishing, in harmony with the surrounding nature. However, their tranquillity is threatened when signs of modern civilization begin to appear. The announcement of a road construction project crossing the forest represents an imminent intrusion, endangering their traditional way of life. The Raven’s Dance offers a reflection on the fragile balance between human life and nature.
Saturday 26 October 2024 at 3pm
Tale of a Lake (2016)
Järven tarina
Directed by Marko Röhr
French subtitles, 76’
Tale of a Lake is an immersive journey into Finnish nature, diving into the countless lakes that shape its landscape. This documentary invites viewers to discover the diversity and beauty of Finland’s aquatic ecosystems, from clear springs to the vast expanses of the great lakes. The film reveals a rich and unknown underwater world, while also evoking the ancient myths and beliefs surrounding these magical places.
Curated by Irmeli Debarle.
Irmeli Debarle is the specialist on Finnish cinema in France. A lifelong student of literature, languages, art history and cinema, she completed a thesis on the director Teuvo Tulio in 2013. Having lived in France for almost 50 years, she has decided to promote Finnish cinema, which is still little known internationally, always guided by the same will: the desire to share. Irmeli Debarle contributes to the visibility of Finnish filmmakers by translating their works and by helping to screen their films at various festivals in France. Among her many projects is La Finlande en 3 films festival, which she has been organising every year for the last 16 years at the Reflet Médicis cinema in Paris, with the support of the Finnish Film Foundation. She translates Finnish films and works closely with filmmakers such as Aki Kaurismäki and Markku Lehmuskallio, among others.