Thanks to Cannes, the names of Finnish filmmakers Aki Kaurismäki and Juho Kuosmanen are well-known to cinephiles. But they aren’t the totality of Finnish filmmaking… not by a long shot.  This “Finntastic” film series puts the focus on a young generation of prize-winning female directors. By combining their first feature with one of their shorts, viewers can witness the formation of these new auteurs visual style and subject matter.

The Sundance hit Hatching, directed by Hanna Bergholm, offers an inventive new take on body horror as a teen gymnast starts to crack under pressure. It screens with Puppet Master. The Games People Play, directed by Jenni Toivoniemi, is a smart dramedy about the surprise reunion of old friends in which past secrets and longings come to the surface. It features top Finnish stars Eero Milonoff (Border) and Laura Birn. It shows with The Date. Aurora, directed by Miia Tervo is an enjoyable dramedy from Finnish Lapland that uses location and characters to add something fresh to familiar romantic comedy beats as a Finnish party girl falls in love with an Iranian refugee. It stars force-of-nature Mimosa Williamo (who can be seen in a sassy cameo in the action pic Sisu). It shows with Clumsy Little Acts of Tenderness. 

Series programed by Alissa Simon.