The short film You Just Sang takes a deep dive into the mindscape of the residents of Northeast Helsinki

Helsinki City Theatre’s audience outreach and the North Helsinki Band School’s short film You Just Sang will premiere at the Local Landscapes Festival in Tapulikaupunki, Helsinki, on Saturday 18 September. The film, which was created as a result of the community art process, is part of the Spotlight Northeast art project.

You Just Sang is a lyrical cross-section of the lives of nineteen people in northeast Helsinki – pain and recovery, peace and presence. The script material for the film was created in remote workshops held in spring 2021, and it was filmed in different parts of Northeast Helsinki in places that were meaningful to the participants.

“The pandemic forced us to rethink things, but in the end, we turned challenges into victories. The film process as a whole has been very successful, and the end result is a great culmination of three years of activity,” say regional artists Martta Pesonen and Janne Puustinen from the Helsinki City Theatre’s audience outreach . “It is also interesting that the resulting work is permanent this time – the film does not cease to exist even after the last act.”

More than 20 residents of northeast Helsinki of different ages will be seen on the screen. In the spring of 2021, the majority of them participated in workshops where the film’s basic material was produced. Based on the material produced by the group, the screenplay has been written by the film’s director Janne Puustinen, assistant director-dramaturg Martta Pesonen, cinematographer Sonja Tolonen and sound designer Aleksi Kinnunen. “The workshop period was a real deep dive into the participants’ mindscape, and each of them boldly stepped outside their own comfort zone,” the regional artists praise .

The film will have its screen premiere at the Local Landscapes Festival in Tapulikaupunki. An open-air cinema will be set up in the square in front of the Maatulli old school, within walking distance of the Puistola station. On the premiere day, 18 September, it will be performed several times between 7.30 pm and 10 pm. On the same evening, it is also possible to see Zodiak – Center for New Dance’s short film Where to Dance Here. In addition to the outdoor screenings on Saturday, the film can be seen on Monday 20 September and Tuesday 21 September from 10 am to 4 pm at the Suutarila Library.

Showtimes:

Sat 18.9. at 19.30-22 Maatulli old school yard (Kimnaasipolku 5)
Mon 20.9. at 10-16 Suutarila Library (Seulastentie 11)
Tue 21.9. at 10-16 Suutarila Library (Seulastentie 11)

There is no advance reservation for the screenings. Outdoor performances can accommodate a large number of spectators, but indoor performances can only accommodate a few spectators at a time in accordance with the restrictions on gatherings. Admission to the screenings is free.

In the Spotlight Koillinen is a three-year joint project of the Helsinki City Theatre, the Zodiak Centre for New Dance, the North Helsinki Band School and Teatteri Tuike, which aims to increase the supply of art and culture in the districts of Tapulikaupunki, Suutarila, Siltamäki, Puistola and Tapanila in 2019–2021.

Further information: valokeilassakoillinen@hkt.fi or 050 475 8701.
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