The effect of WWII on the countries of Western Europe is widely reported. But what of Finland, a small Nordic nation trapped between the Soviets and the Germans? Known locally as the Continuation War, the tragic events of this period in history had a lasting effect on Finland as well as its people. Documentary filmmaker Ari Matikainen blends fascinating archive footage, interviews and beautifully shot reenactments that utilise letters from soldiers that fought during the period, to create a rounded exploration of the effect of war on the men and women who fight, as well as the knock-on repercussions on an entire nation.
It’s an examination of a myriad of topics: the effect of war on Finnish collective memory, generational repercussions of the event, it’s narrative in society, it’s repercussions (especially regarding mental health), and the role it continues to play in the discourse surrounding national identity. It’s all of those things, but at its core, it’s an exploration of the individual, personal, and harrowing experience of war: the emotions it elicits, and the long-lasting legacy it creates for individuals and greater society, wrapped carefully by a hard working team that spent two years on the project.
Director: Ari Matikainen
Country: Finland
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