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“Together in Love and Anarchy.” This year’s motto for the 39th Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy stated by Outi Rehn, program director, and Pauliina Ståhlberg, executive director, says it all.
Speaking
with Variety ahead of the full program’s disclosure Sept. 1, the festival’s co-honchos were happy to reiterate its key values. “Love and Anarchy proudly takes a stand, and we don’t pretend that we’re not political. Every film selected is a political statement and even not showing a film is a political statement,” said Ståhlberg, distancing herself from Wim Wenders who sparked controversy at the last Berlinale when stating at the jury presser that “festivals and artists should stay out of politics.”
With freedom of speech and democracy at its core, the festival’s own selection process was carefully shaped this year to reflect this stand. A five-person team headed by Rehn replaced fest co-founder and artistic director Pekka Lanerva, who officially retired last year. “But he’s still part of our programming team; we’re just more voices in the mix to make it truly democratic,” said Rehr who joined the festival as full-time staffer in 2012.
“We’re all running the show!,” insisted seasoned industry exec Ståhlberg, only the second year in her job.
So how was this year’s curating job for the Love & Anarchy team whose mission was to gather “the most dazzling cinematic diamonds and rarest little film gems” from the world’s biggest festivals, in full dialogue with Finnish distributors, while prioritizing gender parity?
“It’s been challenging as there were too many good films around, and Cannes in particular had an exceptional year,” said Rehn, who proudly noted that four Cannes competition entries will bow in the festival’s most prestigious Gala Screenings.
Kickstarting the festivities Sept. 17 as opening Gala film will be the Spanish drama “The Black Ball” for which Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo shared a Cannes best director prize. Then Palme d’Or winner “Fjord” will bow as Nordic Gala pick. Na Hong-jin’s rollercoaster monster film “Hope” will screen as Love & Anarchy Gala and Andrey Zvyagintsev’s “Minotaur” – Cannes Grand Prix winner – as closing Gala film on Sept. 23.
Rounding out the Gala strand is local prodigy Hanna Bergholm with her chiller “Nightborn,” which world premiered in Berlin’s main competition.
For Ståhlberg, ‘Nightborn” epitomizes “the recognition that Finnish talent (working across film and series) are achieving at festivals worldwide, as well as with the local audience.” “With nearly 32% of the market, we’re at the top of the European league. Finns love watching local films,” she underscored.
“Considering the record number and superb selection of Finnish short films submitted for our national competition, I can say that the future looks bright for Finnish cinema,” added Rehn.
A total of 121 shorts and 136 films from more than 80 countries will screen across the festival’s 20 plus sections, many of which are renewed each year. “It’s only when we start picking films that some sections take shape. By waiting until the last minute to lock the sections and name them, it gives us a lot of freedom, as well as a clear overview of filmmaking trends,” Rehn explained.
Film highlights include Paolo Sorrentino’s “La Grazia,” James Gray’s “Paper Tiger,” Quentin Dupieux’s “Full Phil” and Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s “The Samurai and the Prisoner,” all showcased in the Spotlight Selection.
The new section More than Human exploring “the world of animals, plants and merfolk,” will “reminds us of all beings right to live and to be treated equally, across the boundaries of species,” said the co-honchos.
Politics, Sex and More
Other film spotlights in the popular Fight for Power strands take in CPH:DOX winner “The Secret Reading Club of Kabul,” this year’s Palestinian Oscar submission “Palestine 36,” and Cannes selected doc “Rehearsals for a Revolution.” “By flagging Iran, Palestine, but also Ukraine in other sections, we really take a stand,” insisted Ståhlberg.
Animation will also stand solid with titles ranging from “Jim Queen,” about a virus in Paris turning gay men straight, “Bouchra,” a queer animated from Morocco, to the black metal Finnish comedy “Belzebubs,” based on JP Ahonen’s webcomic.
True to the festival’s anarchic and edgy spirit, the taboo-breaking Let’s Talk About Sex strand will make a come-back with five titles including the controversial U.S. indie “Blue Film,” which world premiered in Edinburgh in 2025, “My Friend the Porn Star” and the BDSM-driven “Pillion,” starring Alexander Skarsgård.
Among top talent expected are Cristian Miungiu for “Fjord,” screening as well as opener of the festival’s industry sidebar Finnish Film Affair, “Nightborn” helmer Bergholm, actor Seidi Haarla and composer Eicca Toppinen, Danish actor Trine Dyrholm, Swedish/Icelandic actor Sverrir Gudnason and Faroese filmmaker Búi Dam, set to present their respective Nordic Council Film Prize nominated pics “Beginnings,” “The Love That Remains” and “Birita.”
Other guest confirmed include U.S. filmmaking duo John Adams and Toby Poser for “Mother of Flies,” Greek writer-director Thanasis Neofotistos and screenwriter Grigoris Skarakis for “The Boy With the Light-Blue Eyes,” Sámi artist Elle Sofie Sara for “Árru” and Estonian filmmaker Meel Paliale and production designer Jasmin Kulagina for “Rolling Papers.”
Meanwhile seasoned Finnish filmmaker Zaida Bergroth (“Tove,” “The Good Son”), named lead mentor for the Nordic training scheme Söderlångvik Masterclass (Sept. 17-20), backed by the festival and the Amos Anderson Fund, will take the stage in Helsinki to discuss her 2017 Toronto selected “Miami” with star actor Krista Kosonen (“Blade Runner 2029,” “Beforeigners”).
The Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy runs Sept. 17-27 and its industry confab Finnish Film Affair Sept. 23-25.
