An evening of short films from Finland at Nordic Nights

The Nordic Nights screening on January 28 features a selection of experimental works, video art, and animated and live-action shorts.

Nordic Nights is a series hosted by the Icelandic Club of Toronto and the Consulate of Finland in Toronto showcasing contemporary Nordic cinema with six alternating screenings a year.

Professor Pierre Tremblay from the School of Image Arts at the Toronto Metropolitan University has lent his expertise in the selection of the programme.

Please join us in conversation with professor Tremblay after the hybrid screening.

Admission is free but registration is required (Link to another website.)for both in-person and online screening which starts at 7 pm on Tuesday, January 28.

On the Playbill:

The King(Link to another website.), by Milja Viita(Link to another website.) and Veli Granö(Link to another website.), 2024 7 min 30 sec

A workshop, artist exchange and film festivals have brought award winning visual artist and filmmaker Milja Viita to Canada several times.  She partners with another multi-award winner, Veli Granö, in The King, where a beloved Finnish musician Rauli Badding Somerjoki sends a song for Elvis to perform.  Elvis passes away without ever communicating with Badding, but strange things happen in a potato field in Badding's Finnish hometown.  

Generatio spontanea(Link to another website.) by Vappu Rossi(Link to another website.), 2024 3min 32 sec

Vappu Rossi is a prolific visual artist with fondness for drawing and interdisciplinary collaborations.  Generatio spontanea has already been seen in Europe in an installation format as well. It is a poetic meditation of a lifecycle.  Vappu Rossi's Carbon Based Love(Link to another website.) was screened at Nordic Nights in 2020

Mousetrap by Anna Rohesalu and Jenni Koljonen of Turku Arts Academy(Link to another website.) 2024 4 min 32 sec, animation

An imaginary world takes over from its creator.

Duck Roast by Jelica Jerinić(Link to another website.),  2023 12 min 34 sec 

A dinner date goes off the rails with an innocent question about the main course. 

Trailer(Link to another website.) 

Earworm by Matti Luukko, Markus Lehtokumpu, Aatos Salkosalo, and Michal Tomala of Turku Arts Academy(Link to another website.) 2024 2 min 44 sec, stop motion animation

Dr. Doc from the University of Doctoring creatively deals with a case of earworm with interesting results.

Guests of Honor(Link to another website.) by Paula Lehtonen(Link to another website.), 2024 3 min 34 sec

A dinner party where the guests could end up served on a plate themselves – a contemplation of the relationship of animals and humans.    

The Moon of Toledo / Toledon kuu by Juuso Honkamäki(Link to another website.) of Turku Arts Academy(Link to another website.) 2024 6 min 47 sec

A man who has run out of gas while driving in on country roads walks with his canister to find a gas station in the quiet of the landscape.  The film was inspired by a traditional Finnish tango from the 1960’s, Toledon kuu(Link to another website.), a song of longing for a past romance in Spain.  

Strangers in the Dark (Link to another website.) by Perttu Inkilä(Link to another website.) and Jenni Pystynen(Link to another website.), 2022 12 min 48 sec

Both directors are storytellers in light and dark.  The unintended but serious consequences of light pollution for insects is a study of the dark side of light.  

Pena’s Special Hauling (Link to another website.)by Anssi Kassitonni, (Link to another website.) 2024 11 min, 43 sec 

Pena has trucking in his blood and plans to keep on trucking no matter what.  Multitalented filmmaker Anssi Kassitonni is a skateboarder, musician, sculptor and filmmaker.  His previous short The Saboteur(Link to another website.) was seen in 2023 at Nordic Nights.