The 40th Midnight Sun Film Festival will be held under the Midnight Sun from 11–15 June. Unfortunately, German filmmaker Margarethe von Trotta and French filmmaker Alain Guiraudie have had to cancel their attendance.
The highly anticipated advance ticket sales for screenings at the Midnight Sun Film Festival began on Wednesday, 28 May.
The festival itself begins on Wednesday, 11 June. The opening screening will feature The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1970), a late-period masterpiece by Vittorio De Sica, with the film’s star, legendary French actress Dominique Sanda (b. 1951), attending in person.
As always, the program is full of cinematic gems, both new and old. In addition to Dominique Sanda, known as “French Garbo”, other visiting filmmakers include Léonor Serraille from France, Chris Petit and Julien Temple from the UK, and Athina Rachel Tsangari from Greece. Sadly, Margarethe von Trotta and Alain Guiraudie have had to cancel their visits due to personal reasons.
Domestic guests include actors Elina Knihtilä, Jaana Saarinen, and Ville Virtanen, as well as directors Sami van Ingen and Mika Kaurismäki. One of the most distinctive guests of this anniversary year is musician Herra Ylppö, making his directorial debut.
Masterclasses will be given by editor Melody London (USA), film historians Andrei Plakhov (Russia/Berlin) and Alexander Horwath (Austria, also a director), along with festival regulars Jennifer Barker (USA), Olaf Möller (Germany), and Mika Taanila.
Leading the karaoke screenings will be Olavi Uusivirta, Kaisa Kukkola, and Aino Torttila. The beloved Leffaraati (Film Panel) will be hosted by Ville Virtanen.
The Midnight Sun Film Festival thanks its partners:
Trade Union Pro, Finland Festivals Association, EU Creative Media, Genelec, Goethe-Institut Finnland, Kemijoki Oy, Laitilan Wirvoitusjuomatehdas Oy, National Audiovisual Institute (KAVI), Finnish Film Foundation (SES), Sodankylä Municipality, Finnish Cultural Foundation, Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike), Tähtikuitu Oy, YLE Teema