Once Upon a Time in a Forest tackles a subject on which Finnish people are more opinionated than educated: the environmental movement Extinction Rebellion. Virpi Suutari, one of Finland’s most highly regarded documentary filmmakers since the 1990s, takes us close to the group that often appears in the news. This documentary follows the movement’s young leaders and portrays activism and civil disobedience as a means of political influence. At the same time, it reveals the motives behind the action.
This documentary challenges the media-wide perception of the movement as radical activism. Forest protection is in fact a means to defend a weaker party, and anyone can participate as much as their resources allow. In the meantime, the film raises interesting questions about civic engagement, the lack of social dialogue, and the human element in the natural ecosystem.
Suutari’s work is inspirational and engaging, challenging entrenched opinions, and infusing audiences with the will to fight for a good cause. The most important documentary film of the decade is here, and the fight continues.
Topi E. Timonen