Friday, March 06, 2015

Lišša / The Scythe

Viikate. FI 2014. Documentary. PC: Saamelaisalueen Koulutuskeskus. P: Erkki Feodoroff. D+SC+AN+ED+M: Jonne Järvinen. DP: Miikka Miinala. S: Miikka Miinala, Elmeri Härkönen. Teacher-advisor: Katja Gauriloff. Featuring: Markus Laiti, Piera Guttorm. 13 min
    Contact: erkki.feodoroff@sogsakk.fi
    Location: Finnish Lapland, Sami region: Utsjoki (the northernmost municipality of Finland and EU).
    In Sami language with Finnish subtitles by Unni Länsman.
    Tampere Film Festival (National Competition 9), Friday, 6 March 2015

TFF: "A short documentary film about the love of work through the eyes of two different generations. An old craftsman acts as a guide to a young apprentice into the traditional knowledge of handicraft. Is there still a place for this expertise in modern society? The young man Markus has spent most of his life in the city. Now he returns to his roots and discovers a passion in handicraft. He dreams of making a living through this passion. At his childhood village there lives an old master craftsman, Piera. The master is eager to share his knowledge, and together they create a scythe."

AA: A nice and tender account about tradition and modernity in Lapland.
    Résumé: the old-timer Piera wields his old-fashioned scythe on the meadow. Two guys negotiate the Outakoski river on a speedboat. The old master teaches the young apprentice Markus how to carve and hew the shaft of a scythe from a piece of solid curved wood (see image above). Splinters fly. The master carpenter is also a boat builder. 
    Visuals: home video quality.

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