Festival program
Films
FILMS BY THE WATER AND IN THE FORTRESSES WALLS
SAIMAA FILM FESTIVAL, 8.8 - 29.8.2026!
Most of the events are free of charge.
THE FESTIVAL PROGRAMME HAS BEEN PUBLISHED.
YOU CAN FIND THE PROGRAMME ALSO HERE: https://saimaafilmfestival.com/en/saimaa-film-festiva/
Most festival events are free of charge.
Tickets for screenings at Nuijamies Venue and Lusikkovuori luola are 5€.
Bio Vuoksi: The Stranger 7€.
CHANGES POSSIBLE!
SATURDAY 8.8 PREVIEW SCREENINGS
Festival Club, Koskenparras 5, 55100 Imatra.
14:00-19:00
FREE OF CHARGE!
14:00-17:15
NANCY
Luciano Zito
Argentina
75 min
2025
In a quiet beach town, where beauty fades with the end of summer, Nancy cleans the houses left behind. When a chance encounter stirs up a dangerous opportunity, she’s forced to choose between survival and loyalty, risking the only stability she has left.
NEWBORN
Alejandro Zuno
Meksiko
104 min
2024
A couple faces a heart-wrenching decision when their newborn is born intersex: he pushes for immediate surgery, while she, moved by intersex voices, begins to question medical protocols, gender norms, and herself.
BOGOSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL, Columbia
FESTIVAL CLUB 17:30-19:00
MALICIA
Edward Gómez
15 min
2024
MI VICHE TODO EL DÌA / MY DAILY VICHE
Juan Camilo Moreno
26 min
2025
AGACHAR EL ROSTRO / LOWERING THE GAZE
Camilo Medina Noy
12 min 35 sec
2025
LA MONA / HOT WAVE
Laura Gutiérrez
18 min
2025
TUESDAY 11.08
Festival Club, Koskenparras 5, 55100 Imatra.
FREE OF CHARGE!
FINNISH FILMMAKSERS
10:00-11:20
OUNAS
Riku Keskipoikela
21 min 18 sec
2025
In Finland 1995, a young photographer struggles mentally with his psyche and past relationship, which he can not let go of. Can Ounas face himself in the darkness, to find his lost self?
PETRIFIED
Minna Parkkinen
10 min
2025
The silent film “Petrified”, beautifully frosted pictures disguise a hidden past of trauma and childhood sexual violence. The Smile Statue, awarded to the kindest children in the class, becomes a symbol of something darker. A hummed melody conveys emotions indescribable by words, as images of snow and ice give way to flowing water and wings uplift.
MULLA ON IDEA
Kristina Dzhanelidze, Sofiko Bidzinashvili, Oleksandr Kalinin
6 min 8 sec
2026
Three friends have two weeks to make a short film, but finding the right idea proves harder than making the film itself.
WILD CLOUDBERRIES
Carla Pekander
19 min
2025
Bipolar Hilla cannot help but fall in love when she meets bohemian and free-spirited Jemina.
NEW DAY
Olex Smith
4 min 56 sec
2025
A New Day is a short film about modern day life in an urban area where fast food, entertainment and social isolation turn into daily pass time, routine, habit, lifestyle for many young and not so young people around the world.
OLISIT VAAN KUOLLUT
Anttoni Lajoma
15 min 21 sec
2025
After a partner’s sudden death, a quietly relieved Dani finds their nights haunted, and their days consumed by a grieving friend.
FOREST'S COVER
Tero Makkonen
10 min 43 sec
2026
A surrealistic and speechless short film about young girl who suddenly get lost in his favorite old forest. In her way out back she meets other persons. But who will help her back? A film about women's status in society and influences of heavy lumber industry in present Finland.
TUNNIN JUNA 2088
Henri Rantala
2 min 30 sec
2025
In a near-future Finland, a lone passenger rides a silent train toward a decaying Helsinki. Shadowy bogey-like figures emerge from the darkness, turning the journey into a desperate battle between man and the unknown. The One-Hour Train 2088 is a hybrid short film, written and storyboarded by the director, with AI used to faithfully realize the visual plan.
MEAT
Kai Seppänen
7 min
2025
At the beginning a shit-egg is laid, and at the end the soul is burned. In between, one experiences carnal desires. MEAT is an intimate dive into a booze-soaked morning, tinged with black humor, where guilt and dry skin float in the air like dust.
12:00-13:30
DEAD MAN'S GOLD
Sofia Palmén
14 min 16 sec
2025
A desperate cowboy searches for a way to provide for his struggling family. He discovers gold, but only after killing an innocent man. Now, that man has returned from the grave, leading an army of undead to terrorize the cowboy and his family.
PAHA TAPA
Anne Seppänen,
Jaakko Kelaranta &
Pyry Kuronen,
4 min 58 sec
2024
An ex-contract killer finds out the hard way that old habits die hard.
YES
Katja Reponen
16 min 20 sec
2026
"YES" is a drama thriller about two friends, Roosa and Emma, who set off on a road trip playing a game where the rule is always to say “yes.” As the journey unfolds, the game starts to cross boundaries and reveal the toxic undercurrents of their friendship. Old betrayals resurface, consent is blurred, and events spiral into tragedy. The film explores manipulation, power dynamics, and the courage it takes to finally say no.
HAMMOCK
Satu-Lotta Rannisto
25 min 44 sec
2026
Muura escapes her hectic everyday life for a quiet weekend alone in the forest. Her peace is disturbed when Fina sets up camp right next to her's. The two get into heated arguments, each trying to make the other move their camp to a different spot. However a forced shared lunch eventually helps them understand each other better. An unexpected threat appears in the woods, they are forced to face it together. How will the shared danger bring them closer and could a spark begin to grow between them?
14:00-15:25
NIRHA
Riku Niemelä
YOUTH MURDER MYSTERY 12+
85 min
2025
A young boy finds the body of a former worker inside an abandoned factory and starts his own investigation into the possibility of a murder.
15:45-17:20
THE MAN UP NORTH
Emilia Kovanen
37 min, 55 sec
2025
In 1938, Finland is slowly coming out of a recession. Large amounts of nickel have been found from Petsamo in Lapland and a mine is underway. Dreaming of a new life, metal worker Eino Forsell and his family head there for a new beginning.
THE BEAUTY OF AUTOMOBILES
Jukka Kärkkäinen
5 min, 34 sec
2026
An intimate moment between a father and son – one evening, one car ride, one problem.
BEADS
Hanna Bensky
12 min
2024
Jonna wakes up after a hard night of partying at roommates Niko and Roni's house. As her memory slowly returns, the events of the night start creeping back.
17:30-19:20
KUINKA HIENOA MEILLÄ OLI
Roope Jääskeläinen
9 min 30 sec
2026
During a day-trip to Helsinki Minttu and Joel start having relationship issues due to their inequal growth as people. How much does their history together weight in a dysfunctional relationship?
TYÖTAAKKA
Aatos Äijö
25 min
2026
Three quiet workers journey through empty everyday paths towards the crossroads of life. A story about faces without dialogue. People who are disturbed by the emptiness of work. How does work become meaningful and a reflection of its creator?
KÖYHÄN ÄÄNI EI KUULU TAIVAASEEN
Sauli Pietarinen
56 min
2025
Sauli fulfills his childhood dream by traveling to the mythical land of India. Along the way, he encounters women's rights issues, the workings of a crematorium, and the realities of the controversial caste system. Will the journey live up to the expectations of his childhood? The Voice of the Poor Is Not Heard in Heaven is an experimental documentary travel film created entirely by one person. The film is dedicated to ten-year-old Sauli, who dreamed of one day traveling to India.
TYÖTTÖMÄN PÄIVÄKIRJA
Ilkka Ilmari Levä
15 min 23 sec
2025
Unemployment fills a man with such deep shame that he begins dressing in a gorilla suit. One day he reaches a crossroads where he must decide which direction to take.
19:30-21:20
VOUDIT
Tuomo Mäntynen
10 min 20 sec
2025
Two bailiffs are seeking payment for their peculiar masters.
BIAFRAN-FINNISH POSTCARD
Miikka Niskanen
6 min 27 sec
2024
Director Miikka Niskanen filmed Super 8 of Biafrans living in Finland. Was Biafra-protest text on the church wall the oldest graffiti of Finland? Has Biafra really the same national song as Finland?
Biafra was the first televised famine. In Biafra 1967-1970, after two-and-a-half years of war, almost two million Biafran civilians died from starvation.
HORMONAL SILENCE
Kerttu Mättö
6 min 20 sec
2026
Hormonal Silence is a documentary about the quiet ways hormonal contraception can reshape a life. Women share stories of lost desire, shifting moods, medical dismissal and the struggle to be believed. Their journeys reveal what it takes to reclaim the body when its voice has been muted.
⚫️⚫️⚫
Rua Najim
77 min 45 sec
2026
An independent feature exploring the raw psychology behind human daily basics.
21:30-22:30
TAISTELU LAPINLAHDESTA
Klaus Welp
75 min
2026
Filmed over the course of ten years, this powerful observational documentary follows the revival of the former Lapinlahti Psychiatric Hospital after years of neglect, as it is transformed into a center for mental health and cultural activities. It chronicles the determined struggle of its new tenants against the City of Helsinki's plans to sell the site, and the grassroots movement that refuses to give up even in the face of adversity. As a member of the Lapinlahti community himself, documentary director Klaus Welp was granted rare behind-the-scenes access to witness these events from within.
22:40-00:00
FREE BLOWING
Marko Auvinen
47 min
2025
On the shores of lake Saimaa in Puumala, South Savo, lives and works Finland´s oldest master glassblower, Gaij Tereschatoff (78) – a true artisan whose life is devoted to the timeless beauty of glass. He has preserved the tradition of glassblowing for six decades and has enriched the craft culture of South Savo for twenty years.
At his studio and gallery Lasiruusu, he handcrafts and sells unique glass pieces that reflect both mastery and soul. Each creation is not just an object, but a story – shaped by fire, free-blowing and decades of experience. For this master, glassblowing is more than a craft. It`s a way of life.
LE MUSICIEN
Jussi Laherto
17 min 55 sec
2025
Le Musicien is a multilayered jazz film in which music, storytelling, and the cityscape of Lahti intertwine. On the surface, it tells the story of a musician who arrives in the city only to encounter setbacks and indifference. Beneath that lies a richer narrative, one of compassion, friendship, kindness, and collaboration. It is also a tribute to passion, perseverance, and love, the forces that sustain us even in life's most difficult moments. That is what Le Musicien is about and that is what life in our beloved hometown of Lahti is all about.
NATURAL LOVER SPRINGS
Juho Maurinen
21 min 25 sec
2025
A few stories about lotion and love, welcome to Natural Lover Springs. A live accompanied performance.
WEDNESDAY 12.08
Festival Club, Koskenparras 5, 55100 Imatra.
FREE OF CHARGE!
THE FINNISH MEDIA ART CENTER
10:00-11:30
LIIAN SININEN TAIVAS
Risto-Pekka Blom
14 min 59 sec
2026
A story about money, power, exploitation, and the many possible ends of the world. Some long for Mars, others for heaven. Some dance the humppa on the Moon. In this short tragicomedy, each of us has a small part to play.
ROMAN CHARITY
Alena Tereshko
19 min 25 sec
2026
In Roman Charity, the artist reinterprets Peter Paul Rubens' famous painting of the same name from the perspective of the breastfeeding woman. Through an essayistic narrative, the film weaves together reflections on art history, episodes from Rubens' life, and the artist's own personal history.
MINDFULLMESS
Niina Suominen
5 min 49 sec
2026
A celebration of neurodiversity. Scattered stimuli dissolve thought into noise, yet within the chaos, a new order emerges as perception shifts into a bodily experience of rhythm and movement, image and sound. What first appears senseless leaves behind traces that may, after all, hold meaning.
LUONTOKOHTEIDEN KULTTUURIPERINNÖSTÄ VETOVOIMAA RAJASEUDUN MATKAILUUN
LAB studio, 12 min 2025
DANSE DE LA TERRE
Niina Vatanen
8 min 24 sec
2025
Danse de la terre is a three-channel video installation combining archival footage and Super8 film, exploring the human relationship with time and nature. The work is a tribute to the soil on which we stand, and the plants on which our lives depend.
Festival Club, Koskenparras 5, 55100 Imatra.
FREE OF CHARGE!
12:00-17:00
Festival Club, Koskenparras 5, 55100 Imatra.
FREE OF CHARGE!
18:00-20:00
COTTON
Rashid Malikov
Uzbekistan
78 min
2025
THE CINEMATOGRAPHER IS PRESENT.
Gulchehra is not old yet, but her life has come to a halt. Her husband has gone abroad to earn money; she has no children and never will. Her whole life is like the cotton wool she combs day after day.
But cotton is not only a means of survival – it is also an inescapable obsession for everyone around her. In their struggle for tomorrow, all those she knows and sees seem to be entangled in cotton...
There is no one by Gulchehra’s side to help her stand firmly on her feet. Her husband left and betrayed her abroad. Her mother-in-law constantly hints at her inadequacy – after all, Gulchehra has not given birth to a child. Her parents are bound hand and foot by old religious morality, which sometimes means more to them than love for their own daughter.
All this the humble Gulchehra somehow endures. But when she is deceived and loses her home, her last hope for a normal life collapses.
A powerful admirer seeks Gulchehra’s affection. He hints that if she becomes his second wife, her problems will disappear. But Gulchehra is not ready to betray her own moral principles.
Despair drives her to the edge – one step away from ending her life.
But fate grants her an unexpected gift – the lover of her husband leaves a newborn baby at Gulchehra’s doorstep.
A child not of her blood becomes the very meaning of life for the tormented Gulchehra.
THURSDAY 13.08
Festival Club, Koskenparras 5, 55100 Imatra.
FREE OF CHARGE!
PROGRAM WILL BE UPDATED
10:00-11:30
NORDIC NOCTURNE
Olli Hietanen
Norway
31 min 15 sec
2024
The Finnish documentarist begins his story in Helsinki, Finland, and travels to Tromsø and Finnmark in Norway to explore life during autumn and the beginning of the Polar Night. He explores how darkness impacts the lives of the locals, revealing their remarkable resilience in the face of such challenging conditions. The story seeks answers to questions about life in the Far North, the challenges faced during dark periods, and the cultural significance of Polar Night.
Additionally, the journalist aims to gain a fresh perspective on his own identity, encouraging audiences to embark on their journeys of self-discovery. What can the North, Nature, and Climate teach us about ourselves and the world around us? How far North can you go before happiness fades out?
FINLAND MINNESOTA-HIST
Willian Besonen
USA
33 min 44 sec
2025
This ethnographic documentary offers an in-depth exploration of Finland, Minnesota, a unique rural community with a rich history and vibrant cultural traditions. The film investigates the origins of the town’s name, its historic landmarks, and the stories of its current residents.
At a time when many rural areas in northern Minnesota are facing population decline, Finland stands out. What fuels this community’s resilience and even growth? Through interviews with the president of the local historical society, long-time residents, and community members, the film uncovers what sustains Finland today.
A highlight of the documentary is the 50th Anniversary celebration of St. Urho’s Day, showcasing the town’s quirky and beloved traditions: grapes, grasshoppers, and the crowning of Miss Helmi. The film also examines why people are choosing to move to Finland and what draws them to become part of this tight-knit, culturally rich community.
FINTIAANIT
Maria Seppälä
Finland
28 min 36 sec
2019
The Finndians, descendants of Finnish immigrants and Native Americans, live in the Great Lakes region, preserving the traditions of both cultures. Life on a Native American reservation is not always easy. Writer Katja Kettu, journalist Maria Seppälä, and photographer Meeri Koutaniemi documented the lives of the Finndians over a period of three years.
BIO VUOKSI
FREE OF CHARGE / Torikatu 13, 55800 Imatra
13:00-15:15
ONIGIRL
Genki Takigawa
Japan
120 min
2025
Momoka is a first-year student who dreams of a wonderful high school life. She has a secret that should never be known. She is an ogre with the blood of an ogre tribe. She is determined to enjoy her adolescence as a high school girl, while being careful not to be "exposed as an ogre" because of her extraordinary strength and the fact that she grows horns when excited. However, when she is reunited with a childhood friend who has returned from Tokyo, she suddenly finds herself in danger of being exposed as a demon. Then, a senior member of the film club scouts Momoka as a heroine, and she is elated.
Festival Club, Koskenparras 5, 55100 Imatra.
FREE OF CHARGE!
16:30-17:15
KAPINA ELÄMÄN PUOLESTA
Saku Souka
80 min
2025
Rebellion for Life, the debut film by renowned photographic artist Saku Soukka, portrays the persistent struggle of Finland’s Extinction Rebellion (Elokapina) movement for a habitable planet. The film’s protagonist is the movement as a collective, although a few individual activists feature more prominently. The feature-length documentary closely follows events over a period of two years, from the aapa mires of Lapland to the streets of Helsinki. In the film, Extinction Rebellion calls for a more just way of life, in which the pursuit of financial profit by some does not deprive others of the possibility of a sustainable future. The people featured in the film demand accountability from those contributing most to the climate crisis and biodiversity loss. For example, they call on Finland’s major forestry companies to reduce the scale of logging.
17:30-19:00
DANCE FILMS
ODE MARITIMA / NAVAL ODE
Fu Le
France, Portugal
6 min
2025
Set against Fernando Pessoa’s poem of the same name, “Ode Maritima” explores the charged space between departure and arrival, self and other. Through a mysterious, suspended choreography, dancers drift like sails in the wind, embodying the swelling desire and nostalgia of a ship pulling away from shore. A lyrical screendance piece where flight, poetry, and emotional distance converge.
AVALANCHE
Silja Tuovinen, choreo Silja Tuovinen
Finland
10 min
2026
Avalanche draws its inspiration from one possible future shaped by climate change, in which the northern world grows warmer and loses its freezing, snow-covered winters. Shot in a single take, the dance film traces the emotions triggered by climate collapse in a world where snow has become a thing of the past. Avalanche focuses particularly on how massive environmental collapse and climate grief affect the human psyche and disrupt our embodied experience of the world.
YES!
Madli Lääne, choreo Raido Mägi
Estonia
3 min
2024
The winding paths and unexpected turns of the Tallinn Cruise Terminal mirrored the complexities of our achievement-driven society. Should we strive for perfection, confining ourselves to a narrow path, or embrace the risk of failure and venture into the unknown?
Siõrškuâđam - VAIETUT ASKELEET
Laura Feodoroff, Kati Kallio, choreo Laura Feodoroff
Finland–Sápmi
13 min
2025
Siõrškuäđam – Silenced Steps is a dance film about Laura, a Skolt Sámi woman who grew up outside the Sámi homeland and reaches toward her largely unknown cultural heritage through the traditional quadrille dance.
DAUGHTERS
Sara Europaeus, choreo Sara Europaeus
Netherlands-Finland
24 min
2026
A Woman who vanishes, an alternative continuum to the tragically depicted fate of a Finnish folklore character Aino, and her Daughters who live freely in a lake utopia.
19:15-22:15
AZERBAIJANI FILMS
ERKEN HISSLER / EARLY FEELINGS
Nurlan Hasanli
Azerbaijan
17 min 42 sec
2025
During the 2002 FIFA World Cup, an 11-year-old Azerbaijani boy grapples with his first encounter with death while competing with neighborhood children for the attention of a girl at a funeral. In addition to being a fan of the Brazil national team, he is also in conflict with his father, who supports Turkiye.
A LONELY PERSON`S MONOLOGUE
Emin Efendiyev
Azerbaijan
53 min
2024
Thirty-year-old Galib lives in a remote mountain village with his father Ibrahim – a war veteran who suffered a stroke from his battlefield wounds and now is on his deathbed.
For years, Galib has cared for his father Ibrahim, who can no longer speak in full sentences and can only make short sounds.
Their communication, with Galib trying to complete the words his father struggles to express, resembles more a monologue than a conversation.
Unexpectedly, Galib receives his draft notice: tomorrow he must leave for the war. Today is their final meeting. In this last encounter, all the things they have kept buried for years come to light: love, hatred, regret, and the longing for forgiveness.
“A Lonely Person’s Monologue” is a story about feelings carried in silence for a lifetime, and how they surface in the face of death and farewell.
FROM ORION WITH LOVE
Rafig Hajiev
Azerbaijan
30 min
2026
Shepherd Akif lost his little daughter fifteen years ago. Shepherd Akif lost his little daughter fifteen years ago. He is certain that on that day, she was taken by aliens from the edge of a cliff. After he tells his story, the villagers begin to think he is crazy and mock him. Even his wife does not believe him. Despite this, Akif does not give up hope, and for many years sends signals into the sky, trying to make contact with the aliens and bring his daughter back. When he is on the verge of losing faith, an unexpected guest suddenly appears at his door.
KÜR - ÇAYLAR ANASI / KUR - THE MOTHER OF RIVERS
Seyran Mahmudoghlu
57 min
2025
“Kur – The Mother of Rivers” is a full-length popular-science film rich in images allowing to fully observe the natural beauty of the Kur River, which is considered the backbone vein of the Caucasus flowing through the territory of Türkiye, Georgia and Azerbaijan, for 1,515 km. This film is trying to prove that Kur is not just a river, but a cultural line connecting a large geography.
INKERINAUKIO
22:30-00:40
EXPERIMENTAL INTERNATIONAL FILMS
TACET
Nonoka Matsuo,Tomikatz
10 min 44 sec
2025
DER KOMPANSE
Erik Nurnberg, Elias Gabele
7min 38 sec
2026
HAND OF GOD
Michał Konrad
3 min 13 sec
2026
LEICHENWASSER
Talissa Mehringer
12 min
2011
SOAP
Markus Riexinger
11 min 14 sec
2016/2017
5th STATE OF STAGNATION
Gamid Ibadullayev
8 min 8 sec
2025
WHAT STAYS
Jasmina El Far
12 min 12 sec
2025
ICH LIEBE DICH
Raskolica
3 min 36 sec
2026
THESE THINGS YOU BRING UPON YOURSELF
Talissa Mehringer
4 min 8 sec
2026
A-Z
Tatiana Moshkova
4 min
2025
BUBBLE GUM
Shazad Madon
6 min 13 sec
2016
DU PLOMB DANS L'AILE
Angélique Vecray
4 min 1 sec
2024
KAUM TRAUM HARDLY A DREAM
Herbert Hut
3 min 34 sec
2025
IMMORTAL DOG
Paul Riemann
4 min 3 sec
2024
TRENCH
Piotr Walewski
7 min 8 sec
2024
IN SCALE
Marina Moshkova
7 min 13 sec
2009
SPIESSA
Stefan Dittrich
12 min 4 sec
2013/2014
SECRET STIRRINGS
Marcin Burbo
3 min
2026
FRIDAY 14.08
Festival Club, Koskenparras 5, 55100 Imatra.
FREE OF CHARGE!
10:00-11:30
COLLECTING SHADOWS
Iskander Guliev
Azerbaijan / Latvia
25 min
2026
A film photographer believes beauty must be preserved at its peak — before it fades. As his exhibition deadline approaches, he grows obsessed with capturing the perfect final image for his collection. But in his pursuit of immortalizing beauty, the line between art and obsession dissolves into darkness.
TV MAN
Leonardo Valenti
France
28 min
1997
As he gets ready for a date with the girl of his dreams, Marco suddenly sees a man appear on his TV screen and start talking to him. And he has a request to make… Hallucination or reality? That’s what Marco will have to figure out in a wacky, slapstick comedy.
THE WOMAN WHO COULDN'T MAKE DECISION
Chryssa Voulgari
Germany
19 min 59 sec
2025
Greek with English subtitles
People who can’t make decisions are real individuals who walk among us. The woman of our story suffers from indecisiveness. The last time she made a decision, she was 12 years old, and since then her problem is that she can’t decide to make a decision. She meets Badger at the bar, who is equally incapable of making choices. An unconfessed mutual attraction begins to develop between them. How will their indecisiveness affect their relationship? Can the illusion of their friendship be shattered? The woman regularly visits her psychologist, who is exhausted and half asleep. In any case, a tragic state my dears. She was unhappy.
11:45-13:15
THE FORTUNATE
Ayalew Nahusenay Dereje
Ethiopia
16 min
2025
In a small church in southern Ethiopia, Pastor Mateyos is widely respected for leading a vigorous anti-alcoholism campaign within his congregation. Rahel, a weary choir singer, seeks his help with her boyfriend’s drinking. What begins as a compassionate counseling session soon entangles Mateyos in a moral dilemma, triggering a revelation that could shatter both his faith and his standing in the community. The Fortunate is a haunting exploration of buried secrets, fractured righteousness, and the fragile boundary between grace and hypocrisy.
LISA FITTKO: RESISTANCE AND EXILE
Allegra Stodolsky
Czechia
29 min
2025
This personal story of a young Jewish woman’s resistance to the rise of the Nazis in the early 1930s, carries strong echoes of our political predicament today, in the context of resurgent fascism. A hybrid of archival material and re-enactment, this film reveals the risks the political activist Lisa Fittko took, reminding us of the courage needed to prevent history from repeating itself.
SILENT ESCAPE
Upeksha Lankathilaka
Sri Lanka
4 min 18 sec
2026
The chaos in our minds is reflected in the world around us.Yet, when we close our eyes, our hearts return to nature. We long for the touch of the wind, the rhythm of the rain, the whisper of leaves, the songs of birds, and the peace that only nature can offer.Somewhere along the way, we forgot our bond with nature.
Silent Escape is a gentle meditation on our forgotten bond with nature, inviting us to pause, breathe, and rediscover the peace that has always existed in the nature.
THIS IS A FILM AND I'M THE DIRECTOR
Beate Basso
Norway
16 min
2026
WORLD PREMIERE
A filmmaker sets out to portray an eccentric artist, but his reflections begin to expose her instead. What starts as his portrait becomes an unexpected portrait of her. A messy, honest exploration of instinct, self‑deception, and the moment the camera turns back on its director.
BUONANOTTE, GIACOMO
Kathi Hofer
Germany
4 min 15 sec
2026
After attending a "Fear Workshop" Jo and Giacomo spontaneously join a french couple for drinks. Their first fun and lighthearted conversations start to take a different turn. As the evening deepens, the line between performance and truth becomes thinner and thinner.
14:00-17:00
100 SUNSET
Kunsang Kyirong
Canada
99 min
2025
Languages: Tibetan, English
A young introverted thief spies on her Tibetan community in Parkdale, Toronto where she meets an unexpected confidant.
KHEL/PLAY
Gaurav Gokhale
India
78 min
2025
After the failure of their small business venture, two friends - Vardhan and Sham, foolishly distract themselves by trying to reform a scrap picker's life.
BIO VUOKSI
TICKET 7€ / Torikatu 13, 55800 Imatra
Tickets at the door or by advance reservation: saimaafilmfestival@gmail.com
18:00-20:05
THE STRANGER
François Ozon
France, Belgium
122 min
2025
FINNISH PREMIERE
L’Étranger (The Stranger)
Algiers, 1938. Thirty-year-old Meursault lives a quiet and unremarkable life. At his mother's funeral, he shows no outward grief and sheds no tears. The very next day, he begins a casual romance with his colleague Marie and resumes his daily routine as though nothing has happened.
Meursault’s calm existence takes an unexpected turn when his neighbour, Raymond Sintès, draws him into a series of questionable dealings. On a scorching summer day by the sea, events move inexorably toward a fateful moment, one that will change everything.
Directed by François Ozon, The Stranger is a compelling screen adaptation of Albert Camus’ timeless classic. The film offers a perceptive exploration of alienation, social conventions, and humanity’s relationship with the world, a story of a man who refuses to pretend to feel emotions he does not genuinely experience.
HINKANRANTA
FREE OF CHARGE / Hinkan saunat, Rantatie 540, 54100 Joutseno
You can arrive by car, bicycle, or on foot. Plenty of parking is available on site. The venue is not accessible. Food and refreshments are available, as well as toilet facilities and the opportunity to enjoy a sauna before the film (additional fee applies). We recommend dressing warmly. More information about the venue.
21:00-23:00
UIMAHALLI / SWIMMING HALL
Toni Kristian Tikkanen
Finland
15 min 22 sec
2025
A poetic short documentary about the experience of swimming in a public swimming hall.
SAUNA, TAR AND ALKOHOL
Marie-Louise Windrum
Germany
19 min
2025
Sauna, Tar and Alcohol seuraa suomalaista taiteilijaa Veli Koljosta hänen arjessaan työpajan, metsän ja järven välillä. Elokuva yhdistää havainnoivia, tunnelmallisia kuvia haastatteluun, jossa Veli pohtii elämäänsä. Se on muotokuva yksinäisyydestä, vapaudesta ja perinteisistä suomalaisista ”lääkkeistä”, jotka yhä tänä päivänä tasapainoilevat rituaalin ja selviytymiskeinon välillä.
KYYNELSILMÄ - TEAREYE
Jari K. Leinonen
Finland
46 min
2025
“After these experiences, the little setbacks are almost nothing,” says Mika Kuokkanen, a 53-year-old singer who, on a train journey, reminisces about the rough beginnings of his career in a band called Professori Heikkerö, and the heavy metal band Afterworld, which is more than worth including. Starting a family, as well as success and loss, have along the way shaped Mika into the mold in which he continues to reflect on his life as a new figure in Finnish music. His brothers and friends, whom the viewer can easily recognize from videos and photographs from years ago, add their own flavor to the story.
ROCKPETE GOES KALLIO BLOCK PARTY
Joonatan Kaarre
Finland
32 min
2025
When self-proclaimed rock legend Rockpete — a famous Tiktok sketch character somewhere between Borat and Uuno Turhapuro — hears about Helsinki’s underground Kallio Block Party, he’s convinced it’s the perfect place to find a new girlfriend after some heartbreaking news.
There he dives headfirst into the chaos of street techno, DIY stages, and the wildest corners of Kallio’s underground scene, where he cannot get away from trouble.
The film is a mockumentary-style comedy that blends fiction with documentary storytelling.
SATURDAY 15.08
LUSIKKOVUOREN LUOLA
TICKET 5€ / Kaivinojantie 21, 54550 Luumäki
Payment by card or cash. You can arrive by car, bicycle, or on foot. Parking is limited, so you may need to walk some distance. Food and refreshments are available on site, as well as toilet facilities. The cave can be cool and damp, so warm clothing is recommended. The venue is not accessible for a wheelchair.
13:00-15:00
KATOAVAT KALLIOT, VUORET
Pira Cousin, Arttu Peltomaa
Finland
16 min
2022
THE DEVOTIONALS
Waltteri Laineenkare
Finland
99 min
2026
Two homeless men living in isolation worship a made-up god, Lord Zolock.
NUIJAMIES VENUE
TICKET 5€ Buy ticket / Valtakatu 39, 53100 Lappeenranta, more info about the venue.
16:00-18:00
CHARLIE IS NOT A BOY
Pol Kurucz
USA
13 min
2026
Charlie Is Not a Boy is the tale of a hushed soul, bound to a crumbling household in an allegorical America. With a perverted butcher for a father and a mother frozen in a quiet, catatonic spell, Charlie seeks solace in the whimsical world of his eccentric grandmother. As his safe haven unravels, Charlie navigates the hostile realms of home and the military, caught between his authentic self and the masks he must wear.
NOBEL PRIZES SEASON / LA SAISON DES PRIX NOBEL
Michel Cordey
Canada (Quebeck)
26 min 7 sec
2025
Two strangers who owe money to the same person are forced to participate in a dubious plan to settle their debts once and for all.
RULE, BRITANNIA
Max Fisher
UK
12 min
2026
A pair of flag-waving Brits go to sea to stop the Refugee Small Boats. But their naval fantasy falls apart, and they are forced to beg for rescue from the very people they set out to stop.
ALPPIRUUSUJEN KEHTO
Samuli Kuusisto
Finland
12 min
2026
WORLD PREMIERE
A man wanders through a dreamlike liminal space between reality and unreality. To find his way out, he must confront himself.
OUT OF MIND
Erik Ivar Saether
Norway
12 min
2025
A man attends a dinner party with his wife, only to find himself locked in a strange situation.
NUIJAMIES VENUE
TICKET 5€
18:30-20:00
INHERITED SILENCE
Vladimer Katcharava
Georgia
15 min 20 sec
2025
Life follows its routines in a small Georgian village during the festive days of New Year and Christmas. Nata and Dato's family appears harmonious by local standards, but beneath the surface lies turmoil. After enduring yet another violent incident at the hands of her husband, Nata decides to leave. only to face unexpected opposition from village women who pressure her to maintain the facade of normality. This intimate portrait reveals her quiet struggle for dignity against deeply ingrained societal expectations.
FINAL STOP
Abderrahim Mekkaoui
Algeria
6 min 35 sec
2026
A stray cat, who roams from place to place in the city of Constantine in order to meet his daily needs, meets a female cat one night who becomes his life partner.
JAIME GOMEZ'S FILMS
MY NAME IS CARLA
Spain
6 min 23 sec
2023
After spending the night with a young woman she has secretly desired for weeks, Carla awakens determined to leave everything behind. Engaged to be married and trapped by the expectations she has built around her life, she struggles to dismiss what happened as a mistake. But as the morning unfolds, a simple conversation forces her to confront the fears that have silenced her for years. My Name Is Carla is an intimate and emotionally charged story about identity, desire, and the courage it takes to embrace the truth of who we are.
LA LATINA
Spain
5 min 34 sec
2021
Ana drives her motorcycle to La Latina, the neighborhood where she makes a living every night. The infernal heat of Madrid makes her eyes shine. They are the weapon she uses to seduce David. The bartender has closed the club and is about to go home. Ana asks for a light. The attraction is strong, but a call interrupts the moment, leaving David unprotected. A man appears asking for a cigarette and then gives him the choice “his wallet or his life.” David has only a few seconds to choose.
BOOMERANG
Spain
8 min 20 sec
2018
In Madrid, two ex-lovers are reunited. At first their meeting is cold and distant, but as it develops they become closer and more honest with one another. Then, something happens to give Elsa hope to find the goals that had previously been lost.
DE VUELTA
Columbia
12 min 44 sec
2016
Ulises (82) keeps himself safe in his own house because he is tired of the city’s chaos. Instead, he creates a new world where he is retuning to the past. Teresa (35) tries to rescue him and persuade him to return but she ends up immerse in his imaginary world.
ON TIME
Spain
10 min 52 sec
2020
Kaylee comes to Madrid for the first time and she meets Raúl and she was hooked from the first night. They started a relationship that became toxic after a while. She does not know what to do with her life. The only thing she knows is that it is time to make a decision that will change everything.
REVELACIONES
Columbia
9 min 30 sec
2017
While waiting for someone who never arrives, a young photographer revisits the memories captured in a box of old photographs. As anonymous phone calls shatter the silence, he is forced to confront a truth buried deep within his past. A haunting psychological drama about love, grief, and the revelations that forever change who we are.
SAIMAANHARJUN VAATERANTA
FREE OF CHARGE / Jauhialantie, 54915 Taipalsaari
You can arrive by car, bicycle, or on foot. A moderate amount of parking is available on site. The venue is not fully accessible. Food and refreshments are available, as well as toilet facilities and the opportunity to swim at the beach. We recommend dressing warmly and bringing your own picnic gear, such as a blanket or portable chair. More information.
21:00-23:00
KAPPALE KAUNEINTA SUOMEA - THE BEAUTY OF ERRORS
Jukka Kärkkäinen
Suomi
94 min
2026
Winds of change are blowing through Tero’s life. His parents are growing older, and his best friend, his son Henri, finds a girlfriend. There is no longer room for four in the small cottage. Father and dog must move into a place of their own, but first an exorcist must drive out the evil spirits. Loneliness and the growing distance between Tero and his son...
SUNDAY 16.08
Festival Club, Koskenparras 5, 55100 Imatra.
FREE OF CHARGE!
10:00-11:30
FILM FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
BOOM!
Nadīna Anna Larionova
Latvia
80 min
2024
After a skateboarding accident, Hugo (13) develops magical "superpowers". He quickly becomes the coolest kid in school, but now has to choose between status and friendship.
SHIFTING
Oona Tiirakari
Finland
8 min 48 sec
2025
An anthropomorphic chameleon moves from a coniferous forest to a jungle and struggles to fit in the new environment, until one day they rescue an unlikely friend.
11:45-12:35
SAIMAAN SYLISSÄ/EMBRACED BY THE
LAKE
Janna Räsänen
Suomi
46 min
2024
A warm and heartfelt documentary film directed and shot by Janna Räsänen follows the summer 2023 tour of Saimaa Theatre. A group of theatre makers travels by boat to the quieting small villages of the Saimaa region, setting up their performance in a different community hall each day. The documentary dives into the essence of theatre and community, exploring how art can act as a bridge between people.
The camera captures, with striking honesty, this unique journey through the charming landscapes of Saimaa. The passion for making theatre meets the enthusiastic reception of local people, and the power of cooperation becomes almost tangible. Living closely together on the boat forges strong bonds within the group, and although the journey is not without its challenges and occasional mishaps, the summer leaves a lasting mark on the hearts of both the theatre-makers and the locals.
The theatre troupe includes actors Boodi Kabbani, Paavo Kääriäinen, Jonnakaisa Risto, Janna Räsänen and Pietu Wikström; director Janne Pellinen; composer-musician Henri Lyysaari; producer Tinni Torikka; social scientist Sanna Ryynänen; and lighting technician Rita Löytty.
13:00-14:35
BECOMING THE OTHER
Beate Petersen
Norway
93 min
2025
Metamorphosis balls, holy fools, Peter the Great’s drinking club The All-Joking, All-Drunken Synod of Fools and Jesters, transformation and self-abandonment are among the themes in this partly animated film, set in 18th-century Russia.
A young theatre director, a student, an elderly independent researcher, and an icon painter recount the life of Ksenia of Petersburg, the patron saint of St. Petersburg, who took her deceased husband’s identity after he died in a drinking party.
In parallel, the films depicts the story of the Russia’s monarchs, who – then as now – ruled the country like a surreal autocracy, evoking fear and obedience.
The film offers a historical backdrop for contemporary Russia. Since the time of Ivan the Great, the political leadership has been rooted in unpredictability and brutality, and the complex relationship between power and impotence has strongly affected Russian mentality.
14:45-16:30
THE PRINCE
Sergiu Scobiola
Moldova
104 min
2025
A character-driven drama set in a rural environment, exploring family relationships, social tensions and the moral dilemmas of a man attempting to escape his past. Through elements of humor, local stereotypes and political intrigue, the film portrays contemporary Eastern European realities while maintaining an accessible narrative for a broad audience.
16:45-18:15
DREAMERS: PEOPLE OF LIGHT
Imam Hasanov
Azerbaijan
86 min
2025
From the far reaches of the cosmos, two astronauts embark on an unexpected earthly mission: to assist Mamed, a former football player living in Sheki, Azerbaijan. Mamed, with the unwavering support of his wife Svetlana, dreams of creating the country’s first girls’football team, a bold vision in a village bound by conservative values and the tradition of early marriage. As outsiders, the astronauts bring a fresh perspective and quiet strength, joining the couple in their heartfelt quest to empower young girls through sport. Facing resistance from the community and pressure to conform, the group must overcome
cultural barriers, challenge gender norms, and protect the spirit of hope. What begins as a celestial assignment evolves into a powerful story of courage, unity, and the universal language of dreams.
18:30-20:20
THE KEY
Paul G. Sportiello
France
108 min
2025
Two broken men rediscover together an unexpected simple happiness... Will they be able to be satisfied ? No one is ever sure if they are truly happy, and to ask the question is to spoil the answer.
20:30-22:15
NOBODY WANTS TO BE HERE, NOBODY
WANTS TO LEAVE
Cash Robinson
USA
106 min
2025
At a shabby motel, a jaded caretaker and a stripper in crisis face their troubled histories together, finding unexpected connection and brief sanctuary in their shared experience.
SATURDAY 29.08
Ruokolahti Event Square, Virastotie 3, 56100 Ruokolahti
FREE OF CHARGE!
21:00-23:00
UNDER THE NORTNERN SKIES
Timo Puustinen
15 min
2025
Under the Northern Skies is a musical short film inspired by the Finnish national epic, Kalevala. Set against the raw beauty of northern landscapes, the film reimagines the myth of Lemminkäinen through music, movement, and visual storytelling.
At the heart of the story lies a timeless theme: a mother’s love that defies fate itself. When Lemminkäinen is sent on an impossible quest by Louhi, Mistress of the North, betrayal and death follow. His mother’s journey to reclaim her son from the realm of the dead becomes a powerful meditation on love, loss, and resilience.
Guiding the narrative is Kanteletar, the Spirit of Song, portrayed by musician Ida Elina. Through her voice and the sound of the kantele, Finland’s national instrument, ancient mythology is carried into the present moment. Music is not an accompaniment, but the driving force of the story.
Blending myth, music, and cinematic imagery, Under the Northern Skies bridges past and present, offering a visually striking and emotionally resonant interpretation of Nordic heritage for contemporary audiences.
IN MEMORIAM / ISLANDERS,
Matleena Jänis
25 min
2025
Creative documentary – The film tells the story of the grief surrounding a mother’s death, memories of loss and the joy of summer cabin life in the Finnish lake landscape, drawn from 8 mm home movies filmed by three generations.
KAPINA ELÄMÄN PUOLESTA
Saku Souka
80 min
2025
Rebellion for Life, the debut film by renowned photographic artist Saku Soukka, portrays the persistent struggle of Finland’s Extinction Rebellion (Elokapina) movement for a habitable planet. The film’s protagonist is the movement as a collective, although a few individual activists feature more prominently. The feature-length documentary closely follows events over a period of two years, from the aapa mires of Lapland to the streets of Helsinki. In the film, Extinction Rebellion calls for a more just way of life, in which the pursuit of financial profit by some does not deprive others of the possibility of a sustainable future. The people featured in the film demand accountability from those contributing most to the climate crisis and biodiversity loss. For example, they call on Finland’s major forestry companies to reduce the scale of logging.
KOKONAINEN / THE ENTIRETY OF HER
Sini Hyvärinen
8 min
2026
The Entirety of Her is a poetic and artistic portrayal of womanhood, internal strength and the relationship between a mother and a daughter inspired by Finnish mythology. The stories of Päivätär and Kuutar will intertwine from birth till death symbolizing the strength and unity between women. Sensitive visuals combined with the poem’s powerful message create a video art piece that is a beacon for being enough for yourself.
