UNE JEUNE FILLE FINLANDAISE

By : Mikko Niskanen

With : Kristiina Halkola, Kirsti Wallasvaara, Aulikki Oksanen, Pekka Autiovuori, Heikki Kinnunen, Pekka Laiho
Finlande, 1967, 90 mn
DVD zone 2, N&B,
10.00 €


GIRL OF FINLAND

Directed by : Mikko Niskanen

With : Kristiina Halkola, Kirsti Wallasvaara, Aulikki Oksanen, Pekka Autiovuori, Heikki Kinnunen, Pekka Laiho
Finland, 1967, 90 mn
DVD zone 2, b&w

Original title: LAPUALAISMORSIAN

Original Finish version with French subtitles

Film follows young students living in Helsinki with its focus on 3 couples. They celebrate Labor day, go to the lectures and discuss about social criticism, antiwar movement and radicalism. In the middle of all this they still are able to find their own, individual way to happiness and adulthood.

Mikko Niskanen (1929-1990) was a Finnish film director, writer, producer and actor. He started his directing career in 1962 after studying film making in Moscow. His first feature film THE BOYS (POJAT, 1962) was a proof of his talent and earned him a Jussi Award for directing. During the next 12 months he also directed movies SISSIT (COMMANDO ASSAULT, 1963) - which he won an Jussi Award for directing also - and HOPEAA RAJAN TAKAA (1963). All of these three movies were war-themed.

During the next few years he worked for TV, but returned to film industry in 1966 with his film SKIN SKIN (KAPPY SELAN ALLA, 1966). The film became a huge success with 700,000 tickets sold to screenings. The film stays in Finnish film industry as 12th highest grossing Finnish film of the history. It was also sold to several different countries. Niskanen won a Jussi for directing. His next two films GIRL OF FINLAND (LAPUALAISMORSIAN, 1967) and ASFALTTILAMPAAT (1968) weren't so well received, but earned him a Jussi for directing the first one. In early 1970s he directed SONG OF THE BLOODRED FLOWER (LAULU TULIPUNAISESTA KUKASTA, 1971) which was everything but a success. He made his comeback with EIGHT DEADLY SHOTS (KAHDEKSAN SURMANLUOTIA, 1972) which was originally produced for TV. 5-hour movie was eventually cut to a little over two hours for a theatrical release. The film earned him two Jussis; one for directing, another one for best leading role. Niskanen never had the same success that he had with EIGHT DEADLY SHOTS. His other films of 1970s didn't turn to box office hits or award winners. In the 1980s he received his sixth and last Jussi for directing for his film GOTTA RUN! (AJOLAHTO, 1982). After it, he directed also two films based on popular novels; LIFE'S HARDY MEN (ELAMAN VONKAMIES, 1986) and LUMBERJACKING (NUORUUTENI SAVOTAT, 1988) before his death in 1990.