Screening of TOVE at the European Film Festival in Nicosia

Photo: Nordisk film

The Finnish artist Tove Jansson (1914–2001) is much loved in Finland but also internationally known as the inventor of the Moomins, characters that appeal to children and grown-ups alike. In addition to writing and illustrating the Moomin books, Jansson, a Swedish-speaking Finn, also received acclaim for her paintings, comic strips, novels and short stories.

The biographical film TOVE (2020)(Link to another website.), directed by Zaida Bergroth, takes place in post-war Helsinki during a formative period in Tove Jansson’s life, and portrays her live over more than a decade. At the centre of the film are the meaningful relationships that greatly shaped Jansson’s life, not only in the realm of artistic endeavours but also in regards to her love life. Two notable people include Vivica Bandler, a theatre director, who Jansson had a passionate relationship with, and Tuulikki Pietilä, who Jansson meets at the end of the film and who became her partner for the rest of her life.

Jansson’s name is almost synonymous with the Moomins, and in addition to her personal life, the film shows the birth story of the Moomin family. During the years portrayed in the film, Jansson transformed from an unknown artist to a world acclaimed creator of the Moomins. From the first rough sketches in the bomb shelters during the war to the first theatre show featuring Moomins and to the growingly popular comics, the story of Moomins is tied with Jansson’s personal development.

Photo: Nordisk film

TOVE screening  25 June 2022

The film had its Cyprus premiere in September 2021 during Queer Wave(Link to another website.), the Cyprus LGBTQIA+ film festival. On Midsummer, Saturday 25 June 2022, TOVE will be screened in Cyprus for the second time, at European Film Festival(Link to another website.) organized by the French Embassy within the framework of the French EU Presidency 2022. Beyond celebrating European culture and cinematography, this screening of TOVE takes place during the Pride month and serves as an invitation to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.

Screening at: 9:00 pm
Venue: Municipal Amphitheater, Eleftheria Square, Nicosia, Cyprus
Free entrance
English subtitles

Screening of TOVE at Eleftheria Square


 

More information on Tove Jansson and the Moomins at ThisisFinland

Finland's Tove Jansson and the Moomin Story(Link to another website.) 

Filming the Unusual Story of the Moomin Creator Tove Jansson in Helsinki(Link to another website.) 

 

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