Haarautuvan rakkauden talo

Den kluvna kärlekens hus / [The House of Forking Love]. FI (c) 2009 Marianna Films. P+D: Mika Kaurismäki. SC: Mika Kaurismäki, Sami Keski-Vähälä - based on the novel by Petri Karra (2008). DP: Rauno Ronkainen - colour. CAST: Hannu-Pekka Björkman (Juhani Helin), Elina Knihtilä (Tuula Helin), Kati Outinen (Yrsa), Antti Reini (Wolffi), Tommi Eronen (Pekka), Irina Björklund (Marjut), Maria Järvenhelmi (Kitty), Kari Väänänen (Niilo), Anna Easteden (Nina), Ilkka Villi (Marco), Antti Virmavirta (Timo), Mari Perankoski (Tiina), Timo Torikka (PK), Jevgeni Haukka (Vidar), Wanda Dubiel (Sanna), Sakari Kuosmanen (Boogie), Kari Heiskanen (neighbour), Aino Seppo (neighbour's wife), Martti Syrjä (taxi driver), Pertti Sveholm (fireman), Clas-Ove Bruun (tall crook in the bar). 107. A FS Film release with Swedish subtitles by Markus Karjalainen. Viewed at Kinopalatsi 5, 3 Sep 2009. - The print has a digimastered look. It is not jarring in close-ups and medium shots. - The story belongs to the comedy / drama of remarriage tradition (The Awful Truth), complete with the fake escorts to make the ex-partner jealous. - Redeeming features: the actors are good, and there are interesting performers even in small parts - there are funny scenes with Juhani's paid escort Nina - "my wife has to think you're my girlfriend, although you are not" - "usually it's the other way around" - yet they start genuinely to like each other, and Nina introduces fresh ideas of her own to fool Tuula - they annoy Tuula with sounds of simulated sex but end up being genuinely aroused by their play-acting - there are also funny scenes with Juhani's playboy friend Pekka - his self-confident double pick-up procedure in the bar in the company of the timid divorced Juhani is a humoristic and realistic record of the manners of today - Pekka is also a humoristic commentator to the tortuous divorce process ("no mites teillä on täällä eroaminen sujunut", this line is difficult to translate). - Unfortunately the film is not as good as its best elements. There is too much: the criminal world, the world of prostitution, the topic of childlessness. Too often the characters just display their shallow, indifferent, and ugly characteristics. Then the viewer ceases to care. - This is one of the several Finnish divorce films of the decade where the wife is such a total harridan that the viewer is puzzled why the man is not simply celebrating his freedom!

Morena

Morena - blues [Title card on film]. FI 1986. PC: Reppufilmi. P+D+SC: Anssi Mänttäri. [Finnish and English translation by Mikko Lyytikäinen, n.c.] Ass. D: Mika Kaurismäki. Prod. M: Pauli Pentti. DP: Heikki Katajisto - Agfacolor - 1,66:1. M: Jukka Hakoköngas, Costas Papanastasiou, Asko Mänttäri, Claes Andersson, Robert Schumann, Nanook, Black Sheep, Anssi Mänttäri, Pentti Lahti, Mikko Mattila, W.A. Mozart. S: Aki Kaurismäki, Juuso Hirvikangas. ED: Raija Talvio. LOC: West Berlin
- around the bar Ruine in Kreuzberg
- Café Belmont, Budapester Strasse
- restaurant La Bocca, Marburger Strasse
- restaurant Land's End, Kreuzberg
CAST: Anssi Mänttäri (Red Beard), Caroline Krüger (Morena), Claes Andersson (Red Beard's big brother). Original in English, with Finnish subtitles. 65 min. A KAVA print viewed at Cinema Orion, 15 May 2009. - In the presence of Anssi Mänttäri and Heikki Katajisto interviewed by Markku Varjola. - OK print, OK colour. - "During Berlin Film Festival we frequented the restaurant La Bocca because of its beautiful waitress Morena. When we returned to make the film dedicated to her we learned that she had been sent back to Italy to protect her from us. The film was a purely Finnish production. A German company worked as our contractor. Together with Mika Kaurismäki we financed the film by drawing weekly cash on our Visa cards, taking turns. In Germany I became known as Rotbärtich. Commenting Pauli Pentti's telegram from Cannes: Susanne was white wine and Crème de Menthe. Besides, there was Susanne on the jukebox." MV commented that in this film the collaboration of the director and the cinematographer was at its best. Claes Andersson was happy to act in the film. AM: "He said that 'That has always been my greatest fear and dream'. If you do something cheaply you must not do it too well. K.J. Koski wanted to see how I do it. If you don't plan too well you are free to change everything." Filmtotal was the basement which Villealfa, Reppufilmi, and Giron-Filmi shared. "We had common equipment. We worked in each others' teams without pay."

Kolme viisasta miestä

Tre visa män / Three Wise Men. FI (c) 2008 Marianna Films. D: Mika Kaurismäki. SC: MK and Petri Karra with dialogue written by the actors, themselves. DP: Rauno Ronkainen - 35mm print from digital intermediate. The men: Kari Heiskanen (Erkki, a photographer with terminal cancer), Pertti Sveholm (Matti, a policeman whose Russian wife gives birth to a baby), Timo Torikka (Rauno, an actor working in France). With: Elena Spirina (Taina, Matti's wife), Tommi Eronen (Tero, Rauno's son), Irina Björklund (Magdaleena, convalescent of depression), Pirkko Hämäläinen (Tiina, the mother of Erkki's son), Riitta Havukainen (Riitta), Aake Kalliala (the karaoke host), Peter Franzén (Santa Claus), Heikki Orama (opera singer). 105 min. Released by FS Film without subtitles. Viewed at Kinopalatsi 6, Helsinki, 28 Nov 2008. - The film is a homage to John Cassavetes. - A digital video look. - Inspired by Husbands by John Cassavetes, a Christmas story of three men's midlife crisis, which mostly takes place in an empty karaoke bar with karaoke songs by each (fun: "Kuka mitä häh"). They face their emptiness, self-deception and livsløgnen [Henrik Ibsen's term, life lie, the foundation lie]. - Interesting stuff but with a quickie touch.

Sonic Mirror

Sonic Mirror / Sonic Mirror. FI/CH/DE (c) 2007 Marco Forster Productions / Marianna Films Oy / Uwe Dresch Film / Doc Productions. Premiere 2008. P: Uwe Dresch, Marco Forster, Mika Kaurismäki, Rose-Marie Schneider. D: Mika Kaurismäki. DP: Jacques Cheuiche - 1:1,85 - 35mm print. M: Bill Cobham. Music documentary featuring Bill Cobham, Big Band Espoo, Randy Brecker, Debalê Malê, Peu Meurray (Tire Percussion), Percussion Okuta (Nigerian band), Brito Rasta (drum artisan). 82 min. In English, German, and Portuguese. Distributed in Finland by Future Film, with Finnish subtitles only. Viewed in Kinopalatsi 3, Helsinki, 16 May 2008. - Digital video look. - Engaging music documentary about Bill Cobham, his experiences in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil - Switzerland - Espoo. - There is also an important aspect of music therapy.