CONCRETE NIGHT

The second Finnish Film Affair, an initiative of Finland’s Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy, will be held this year from September 24 to 26, 2013. A total of almost 30 new films will be screened, Including two Toronto International Film Festival-bound films: CONCRETE NIGHT by veteran Finnish filmmaker Pirjo Honkasalo and HEART OF A LION by Dome Karukoski. CONCRETE NIGHT is described as a dreamlike odyssey of young Simo who, over the course of a night in the humid and stunning Helsinki, follows his criminal older brother through a series of fateful events. HEART OF A LION is an intense drama about neo-nazi Teppo (Peter Franzén) who tries to position himself as a stepfather for the colored son of the woman he has fallen passionately in love with (Sari, played by Laura Birn).

Other festival films include the documentaries BLOOD ENGLISH, SWEDISH HEART by Mika Ronkainen, recently selected by Variety as One of Ten Euro Directors To Watch (Karlovy Vary) and ALCAN HIGHWAY by Alex Salmenperä (Hot Docs). This year’s works-in-progress include a wide range of genres, from the latest offering of Finland’s most successful animation franchise, the Moomins ON THE RIVIERA to the youth drama KORSO (Best Pitch Holland Film Meeting 2012) and the doc WIND catchers (IDFA Forum 2011), about street artists in a Brazilian favela who start to get attention from the European art world.

The Finnish Film Affair program and line-up is now available online.