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.
WE HAVE STARTED UPLOADING FILM INFORMATION TO THE WEBSITE, AND SOME DETAILS MAY NOT YET BE ACCURATE.
YOU CAN FIND THE LATEST UPDATED PROGRAMME 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€.
CHANGES POSSIBLE!
SATURDAY 8.8 PREVIEW SCREENINGS
Festival Club, Koskenparras 5, 55100 Imatra.
(Entrance also via Osmos Cosmos Bar)
FREE OF CHARGE!
14:00-19:00
NANCY
Luciano Zito
Argentina
75 min
2025
NEWBORN
Alejandro Zuno
Meksiko
104 min
2024
BOGOSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL, Columbia
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.
(Entrance also via Osmos Cosmos Bar)
FREE OF CHARGE!
FINNISH FILMMAKSERS
10:00-11:20
OUNAS
Riku Keskipoikela
21 min 18 sec
2025
PETRIFIED
Minna Parkkinen
10 min
2025
MULLA ON IDEA
Kristina Dzhanelidze, Sofiko Bidzinashvili, Oleksandr Kalinin
6 min 8 sec
2026
WILD CLOUDBERRIES
Carla Pekander
19 min
2025
NEW DAY
Olex Smith
4 min 56 sec
2025
OLISIT VAAN KUOLLUT
Anttoni Lajoma
15 min 21 sec
2025
METSURI
Harri Haapakangas
5 min 23 sec
2026
FOREST'S COVER
Tero Makkonen
10 min 43 sec
2026
TUNNIN JUNA 2088
Henri Rantala
2 min 30 sec
2025
MEAT
Kai Seppänen
7 min
2025
12:00-13:30
DEAD MAN'S GOLD
Sofia Palmén
14 min 16 sec
2025
PAHA TAPA
Anne Seppänen,
Jaakko Kelaranta &
Pyry Kuronen,
4 min 58 sec
2024
YES
Katja Reponen
16 min 20 sec
2026
HAMMOCK
Satu-Lotta Rannisto
25 min 44 sec
2026
SEUDUN PARAS PUU
Petri Rautsiala
21 min 48 sec
2026
14:00-15:25
NIRHA
Riku Niemelä
YOUTH MURDER MYSTERY 12+
85 min
2025
15:45-17:20
THE MAN UP NORTH
Emilia Kovanen
37 min, 55 sec
2025
VALINTA
Marko Kivioja
38 min 44 sec
2024
THE BEAUTY OF AUTOMOBILES
Jukka Kärkkäinen
5 min, 34 sec
2026
BEADS
Hanna Bensky
12 min
2024
17:30-19:20
KUINKA HIENOA MEILLÄ OLI
Roope Jääskeläinen
9 min 30 sec
2026
TYÖTAAKKA
Aatos Äijö
25 min
2026
KÖYHÄN ÄÄNI EI KUULU TAIVAASEEN
Sauli Pietarinen
56 min
2025
TYÖTTÖMÄN PÄIVÄKIRJA
Ilkka Ilmari Levä
15 min 23 sec
2025
19:30-21:20
VOUDIT
Tuomo Mäntynen
10 min 20 sec
2025
BIAFAN-FINNISH POSTCARD
Miikka Niskanen
6 min 27 sec
2024
HORMONAL SILENCE
Kerttu Mättö
6 min 20 sec
2026
⚫️⚫️⚫
Rua Najim
77 min 45 sec
2026
21:30-22:30
TAISTELU LAPINLAHDESTA
Klaus Welp
75 min
2026
(Eng.subs)
22:40-00:00
FREE BLOWING
Marko Auvinen
47 min
2025
LE MUSICIEN
Jussi Laherto
17 min 55 sec
2025
NATURAL LOVER SPRINGS
Juho Maurinen
21 min 25 sec
2025
WEDNESDAY 12.08
Festival Club, Koskenparras 5, 55100 Imatra.
(Entrance also via Osmos Cosmos Bar)
FREE OF CHARGE!
THE FINNISH MEDIA ART CENTER
10:00-11:30
LIIAN SININEN TAIVAS
Risto-Pekka Blom
14 min 59 sec
2026
ROMAN CHARITY
Alena Tereshko
19 min 25 sec
2026
MINDFULLMESS
Niina Suominen
5 min 49 sec
2026
LUONTOKOHTEIDEN KULTTUURIPERINNÖSTÄ VETOVOIMAA RAJASEUDUN MATKAILUUN
LAB studio, 12 min 2025
DANSE DE LA TERRE
Niina Vatanen
8 min 24 sec
2025
Festival Club, Koskenparras 5, 55100 Imatra.
(Entrance also via Osmos Cosmos Bar)
FREE OF CHARGE!
12:00-17:00
Festival Club, Koskenparras 5, 55100 Imatra.
(Entrance also via Osmos Cosmos Bar)
FREE OF CHARGE!
18:00-20:00
COTTON
Rashid Malikov
Uzbekistan
78 min
2025
THE CINEMATOGRAPHER AND LEAD ACTOR WILL BE PRESENT.
THURSDAY 13.08
Festival Club, Koskenparras 5, 55100 Imatra.
(Entrance also via Osmos Cosmos Bar)
FREE OF CHARGE!
PROGRAM WILL BE UPDATED
10:00-11:30
NORDIC NOCTURNE
Olli Hietanen
Norway
31 min 15 sec
2024
FINLAND MINNESOTA-HIST
Willian Besonen
USA
33 min 44 sec
2025
FINTIAANIT
Maria Seppälä
Finland
28 min 36 sec
2019
BIO VUOKSI
FREE OF CHARGE!
13:00-15:15
ONIGIRL
Genki Takigawa
Japan
120 min
2025
Festival Club, Koskenparras 5, 55100 Imatra.
(Entrance also via Osmos Cosmos Bar)
FREE OF CHARGE!
16:30-17:15
KAPINA ELÄMÄN PUOLESTA
Saku Souka
80 min
2025
17:30-19:00
DANCE FILMS
ODE MARITIMA / NAVAL ODE
Fu Le
France, Portugal
6 min
2025
AVALANCHE
Silja Tuovinen, choreo Silja Tuovinen
Finland
10 min
2026
YES!
Madri Lääne, choreo Raido Mägi
Estonia
3 min
2024
Siõrškuâđam - VAIETUT ASKELEET
Laura Feodoroff, Kati Kallio, choreo Laura Feodoroff
Finland–Sápmi
13 min
2025
DAUGHTERS
Sara Europaeus, Alankomaat- Suomi, choreo Sara Europaeus
Finland
24 min
2026
19:15-22:15
AZERBAIJANI FILMS
ERKEN HISSLER / EARLY FEELINGS
Nurlan Hasanli
Azerbaijan
17 min 42 sec
2025
A LONELY PERSON`S MONOLOGUE
Emin Efendiyev
Azerbaijan
53 min
2024
FROM ORION WITH LOVE
Rafiq Hajiev
Azerbaijan
40 min
2026
KÜR - ÇAYLAR ANASI / KUR - THE MOTHER OF RIVERS
Seyran Mahmudoghlu
57 min
2025
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'
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.
(Entrance also via Osmos Cosmos Bar)
FREE OF CHARGE!
10:00-11:30
JÜRGENS MOTIVATION
Arezo Salehi
Germany
12 min 43 sec
2026
COLLECTING SHADOWS
Iskander Guliev
Azerbaijan / Latvia
25 min
2026
TV MAN
Leonardo Valenti
France
28 min
1997
THE WOMAN WHO COULDN'T MAKE DECISION
Chryssa Voulgari
Germany
19 min 59 sec
2025
Greek with English subtitles
11:45-13:15
THE FORTUNATE
Ayalew Nahusenay Dereje
Ethiopia
16 min
2025
LISA FITTKO: RESISTANCE AND EXILE
Allegra Stodolsky
Czechia
29 min
2025
SILENT ESCAPE
Upeksha Lankathilaka
Sri Lanka
4 min 18 sec
2026
THIS IS A FILM AND I'M THE DIRECTOR
Beate Basso
Norway
16 min
2026
WORLD PREMIERE
BUANANOTTE, GIACOMO
Kathi Hofer
Germany
4 min 15 sec
2026
14:00-17:00
100 SUNSET
Kunsang Kyirong
Canada
99 min
2025
Languages: Tibetan, English
KHEL/PLAY
Gaurav Gokhale
India
78 min
2025
BIO VUOKSI
TICKET 7€
18:00-20:05
THE STRANGER
François Ozon
France, Belgium
122 min
2025
FINNISH PREMIERE
HINKANRANTA
FREE OF CHARGE!
21:00-23:00
UIMAHALLI / SWIMMING HALL
Toni Kristian Tikkanen
Finland
15 min 22 sec
2025
SAUNA, TAR AND ALKOHOL
Marie-Louise Windrum
Germany
19 min
2025
KYYNELSILMÄ - TEAREYE
Jari K. Leinonen
Finland
46 min
2025
ROCKPETE GOES KALLIO BLOCK PARTY
Joonatan Kaarre
Finland
23 min
2025
SATURDAY 15.08
LUSIKKOVUOREN LUOLA
TICKET 5€
13:00-15:00
KATOAVAT KALLIOT, VUORET
Pira Cousin, Arttu Peltomaa
Finland
16 min
2022
THE DEVOTIONALS
Waltteri Laineenkare
Finland
99 min
2026
NUIJAMIES VENUE
TICKET 5€
16:00-18:00
CHARLIE IS NOT A BOY
Pol Kurucz
USA
13 min
2026
NOBEL PRIZES SEASON / LA SAISON DES PRIX NOBEL
Michel Cordey
Canada
26 min 5 sec
2025
RULE BRITANNIA
Max Fisher
UK
12 min
2026
ALPPIRUUSUJEN KEHTO
Samuli Kuusisto
Finland
12 min
2026
WORLD PREMIERE
OUT OF MIND
Erik Ivar Saether
Norway
12 min
2025
NUIJAMIES VENUE
TICKET 5€
18:30-20:00
INHERITED SILENCE
Vladimer Katcharava
Georgia
15 min 20 sec
2025
FINAL STOP
Abderrahim Mekkaoui
Algeria
6 min 35 sec
2026
JAIME GOMEZ'S FILMS
MY NAME IS CARLA
Spain
6 min 23 sec
2023
DESAYUNO PARA 3 / BREAKFAST FOR THREE
Spain
8 min 20 sec
2023
LA LATINA
Spain
5 min 34 sec
2021
BOOMERANG
Spain
8 min 20 sec
2018
DE VUELTA SUBTÍTULOS
Columbia
12 min 44 sec
2016
ON TIME
Spain
10 min 52 sec
2020
REVELACIONES
Columbia
9 min 30 sec
2017
SAIMAANHARJUN VAATERANTA
FREE OF CHARGE!
21:00-23:00
KAPPALE KAUNEINTA SUOMEA - THE BEAUTY OF ERRORS
Jukka Kärkkäinen
Suomi
94 min
2026
SUNDAY 16.08
Festival Club, Koskenparras 5, 55100 Imatra.
(Entrance also via Osmos Cosmos Bar)
FREE OF CHARGE!
10:00-11:30
FILM FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
BOOM!
Nadīna Anna Larionova
Latvia
80 min
2024
SHIFTING
Oona Tiirakari
Finland
8 min 48 sec
2025
11:45-12:35
SAIMAAN SYLISSÄ/EMBRACED BY THE
LAKE
Janna Räsänen
Suomi
46 min
2024
13:00-14:35
BECOMING THE OTHER
Beate Petersen
Norway
93 min
2025
14:45-16:30
THE PRINCE
Sergiu Scobiola
Moldova
104 min
2025
16:45-18:15
DREAMERS: PEOPLE OF LIGHT
Imam Hasanov
Azerbaijan
86 min
2025
18:30-20:20
THE KEY
Paul G. Sportiello
France
108 min
2025
20:30-22:15
NOBODY WANTS TO BE HERE, NOBODY
WANTS TO LEAVE
Cash Robinson
USA
106 min
2025
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
IN MEMORIAM / ISLANDERS,
Matleena Jänis
25 min
2025
KAPINA ELÄMÄN PUOLESTA
Saku Souka
80 min
2025
KOKONAINEN / THE ENTIRETY OF HER
Sini Hyvärinen
8 min
2026
