Jon Blåhed, who has already made a name for himself as a director depicting his native northern Sweden, takes an even more ambitious approach with Raptures. It is the first film to be made in the Meänkieli language, and takes a look at topics that have been neglected in history.
The film is set in the Torne Valley in the 1930s. The vast majority of the inhabitants do not speak Swedish, and their own language forms a bond between the community members and a part of their identity. Despite its post-colonial perspective, the film does not portray the way of life of a century ago in an overly positive way. In addition to the language issue, a key theme is that of Korpelaism, a polarising spiritual movement that has spread among the people. Religious issues are brought into sharp focus as part of a survival narrative of identity politics.
Starring a cast of leading Finnish actors, this powerful drama is an example of how the world will never run out of interesting film subjects – as long as someone keeps digging them up from the unlit corners of history.
Topi E. Timonen