In addition to earlier announced guests, such as Carlos Saura and Hanna Schygulla, the 32. edition of Midnight Sun Film Festival will have other special guests – for example the Master Class hosts, including Stéphane Goudet, the world’s leading Jacques Tati expert.
A film critic (Positif magazine), a university lecturer and a film theater manager STÉPHANE GOUDET, who has analyzed the works of Jacques Tati, comes to Sodankylä to present the film The Big Day (Jour de fête) as well as his documentary film about Tati.
American scholar JENNIFER BARKER comes to Sodankylä to discuss animation film in her Animated Fuzzy Avant-garde Master Class lecture. Director GABE KLINGER discusses the meaning and achievements of Brazilian Cinema Novo, one of the most essential 1960’s cinema movements. There will be a screening of Cinema Novo documentary and a first class film which will be announced later.
Aalto University’s adjunct professor OLAF MÖLLER and one of Finland’s most important experimental film directors, MIKA TAANILA, have select an arsenal of films dealing with the “peaceful” use of nuclear power for their Master Class series In the Heart of Darkness. The section contains a range of films from The China Syndrome to genuine rarities. Taanila has also collected his annual set of Total Cinema, the best of avant-garde.
LAURI PIISPA, a scholar of Russian film, will discuss lost Finnish cinema gems by showcasing the unknown achievements of distinguished directors such as Vaala, Tulio and Tapiovaara.
NEIL HARDWICK, the expert on musical genre also known as a brilliant TV producer, analyzes the world of TV musical by showing clips and discussing with the audience. This is all connected to the sing-along film screening lead by Finnish favorite singer OLAVI UUSIVIRTA.
ESKO VALTAOJA, noted as the most well-known scientist in Finland, will present two of his favorite films, La Chinoise by Jean-Luc Godard (never seen on Finnish TV) and The Mirror by Andrei Tarkovsky – a truly intensive film pair to start the Carte Blanche tradition of Sodankylä.
Every year, Midnight Sun Film Festival guests select one film to take with them to a deserted island. As the tradition goes, the festival arranges screenings of selected “deserted island films” of previous guest. In 2017 we will see Jean Renoir’s A Day in the Country chosen 15 years ago by Denys Arcand. Both Fernando Trueba and Jiri Menzel announced the same film as their favorite last year. Menzel also performs on screen as the leading actor in Vera Chytilova’s playful Czech comedy The Apple Game.
The smallest family members will not be forgotten. In addition to Finnish smash hit Tatu and Patu, we will see beloved and rare classics ranging from Soviet adaptation of Snow Queen to British Christmas classic The Snowman.
The programme has gained a few more films as well. Cannes Un Certain Regard winner A Man of Integrity by director Mohammad Rasoulofin portrays Iranian society.
In Nicolas Wackerbarth’s Casting, the actor and production relations vary in a witty and intriguing manner while remaking Fassbinder’s The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, which matches well with HANNA SCHYGULLA’s visit to the festival.
The disco parody John Travolto (overwhelmed)… By An Unusual Destiny by Italian director Neri Parenti maintains gallantly the infantile traditions of the early morning festival hours.