Sirocco (Mikko Kuparinen 2012)

Mikko Kuparinen: Sirocco (2012) starring Eeva Putro as Raisa who finds an abandoned baby in a garbage container.

D: Mikko Kuparinen
SC: Mikko Kuparinen, Elina Pohjola, Mira Muikku – based on the short story Merkki by Tuuve Aro
C: Eeva Putro, Tuukka Martiskainen, Luna Huotari
DP: Juice Huhtala
PD and costume design: Laura Haapakangas
S: Pekka Aikio
ED: Matti Näränen
P: Elina Pohjola, Pohjola-filmi
    2K DCP released by Pohjola-Filmi with English subtitles n.c.
    Viewed in the programme "Lähiöleffat: Korsoteoria ja Sirocco" [Suburban Movies: Korsoteoria and Sirocco]
    at Kinopalatsi 5, Helsinki, 27 Oct 2012 (premiere weekend).

Sirocco refers to the comment overhead at the party: "pakko päästä Italiaan – sirocco kutsuu" / "I must get to Italy – the sirocco is calling".

The production information: "Raisa (Eeva Putro) who avoids human contacts finds an abandoned baby from the garbage shelter of the apartment house in which she lives. What will happen when the lonely woman does not tell anybody but decides to keep the baby?" (my translation)

AA: The connections between Korsoteoria and Sirocco include the urge to travel abroad and an abrupt situation with a baby. Raisa works at the laundry of a hospital, and when she discovers the baby hidden in the garbage shelter of her apartment block she starts to take care of the baby without telling anybody. There is a nice-seeming man who invites Raisa to the party of the hospital workers, but when his approaches become violent and a rape is imminent Raisa hits him with a metal tube. We do not learn whether she knocks him unconscious or whether she actually kills him. The police is after the baby, but Raisa repeats to them a line overheard at the office party: "I must get to Italy – the sirocco is calling". – I watched the movie attentively but also here I failed to connect with the abyss of alienation and desolation.