Viva la Nord, seminar at the 16th edition of RIFF explores the works of Danish film director and writer Lise Birk Pedersen and Finnish visual artist Sophia Ehrnrooth. The seminar introduces to the festival audience’s current trends in the Nordic documentary filmmaking, the director’s own role in the filmmaking process and her take on characterization.
Introductory presentation:
The 3 hours seminar begins with an introductory presentation given by Ph.D. Hanna Maria Laakso. She will discuss the contemporary Nordic documentary filmmaking, contextualizing Pedersen and Ehrnrooth’s work within the Nordic film culture.
Screening and lecture:
What follows is a screening of a 60 minute documentary Tutti a Casa -‐ Power to the People (2017) by Pedersen starring Beppe Grillo and Silvio Berlusconi and the five star senators Alberto Ariola, Mario Giarruso and Luis Orellana. The film is an inside story of MS5 first years in the Italian parliament, showing the state of mind of Italian politics and democracy altogether.
After the screening, Pedersen gives a lecture on a documentary form of political filmmaking,
focusing on her methods of characterization and approach to the subject being filmed. Asking herself the question: What are the challenges making a character driven story using filmic language on a political subject that is normally approach journalistically? She will also touch on the Nordic documentary tradition of open endings that leaves the audience with the considerations and conclusion. During her lecture, she will also show clips of her previous, awarded documentary Putin’s Kiss (2011).
Screening and lecture:
The second lecture is given by Sophia Ehrnrooth, a recognized Finnish visual artist using
photography, multimedia and social engagement as tools of expression. We will see her directorial debut 879 Football Heroes by Heart (2017) a 5-‐minute short film showing pre-‐ teen boys and junior players naming International Champions. Central to the documentary is a piece for viola, composed by Italian Emiliano Travasino. The lecture opens up a visual artist’s approach to documentary filmmaking, as well as bringing forth questions of nationality and heroism in the characterization.
Discussion: After the lectures, there is an open discussion during which the audience have a chance to exchange ideas and give commentaries.
ArsMondo
Hanna Maria Laakso
