Here is some informatin on the film scene in Finland. I think they have something special going on there in film. Judging by the tv mini series RAID and the movie sequel of the same name. Also the movie MAN WITHOUT A PAST.
The film scene in Finland is something that would be worth discussing and an article in this series.

Oops I forgot to put the link in my above message. Here it is:
http://www.sea.fi/english/cinema.html

Hi Joe,

If you want to see a good finnish film. One ot them is called MOSKU. The leading star the re is Kai Lehtinen. Same actor as in Raid. It happens in the Finnish Lappland. And that's a beautiful place. The film tells a real story about a man, who was a real life Raid.

I have seen several fantastic Finnish films in the last 2 years. Some are hard to get in the US, or are only on Region 2 DVD, but can be ordered over the internet and are playable on multi-region players. Most have excellent scripts and stunning cinematography. Several actors in particular are fabulous, particularly Peter Franzen, but many others, too. Several of these have a youth, tough boy edge, but others are more historic or relationship-oriented.

My spelling of the Finnish titles may be off.

Ambush (Rukajarven Tie), Finland-Russia war story
A Respectable Tragedy, aesthetes and the upper class
Hymypoika, boys shooting home-made porn, feelings get in the way
Kuutamolla, a film-lover can't find a boyfriend
Bad Boys (Pahat Pojat), true story of robber, bad-boy brothers
The Cuckoo, a Finn, a Russian, and a Laplander try to connect
One Way Ticket to Mombassa (Menolippu Mombassaan), dying of cancer doesn't stop you from living and loving
Elina, Swedish-Finnish tensions and insipient nationalism
Wonderful Women by the Sea, men, can't trust 'em
Badding, an unlikely rock star poet

If I think of more I'll post. Enjoy.

The Cuckoo is a Russian film. A very good one.

Raid (the series) was aired in Washington area by a cable channel, right? Did anyone happen to see it, a very Finish film in all senses on my opinnion (I am a Finn).

There's been a big Raid discussion in at least two topics.

RAID was featured by the American Film Institute in Silver Spring (near D.C.). I would have loved to seen it though.

AFI.com

Ha ha "pristine river"... mudbottom.
yeah, lived in porvoo a few years, if it was not for Bar Mary opening way back then I'd gone bonkers...

Yes we saw RAID the tv mini series two times on the MHz Networks Tv channel. Only available in the Washington, D.C area. And also we attended the showing of the film RAID at the Silver Theater in Silver Spring, Maryland at the American Film Institute last Sat. It was wonderful. I feel so lucky to have seen it. There is more real Finland I think in those films than all these articles combined. Very ironic that the two views of Finland showed up in Washington, D.C. during the same week. I'll take the fiction of the films over the sociology of these articles every time. Mr. Kaiser seems totally unaware of the existance of the film scene in Finland and of RAID in particular. Too bad.
RAID is not available in the USA at this time. They said maybe in a few months. Check with AFI or MHz Neworks on line in a few months for information.
I would like to thank Mhz Networks for showing RAID and Michael Jeck for bringing it to the USA and also to American Film Institute for showing the movie seqeul last weekend. And to the Embassy of Finland in Washington D.C. for bringing the star and the director over for the showing at the American Film Institute. Many hundreds of Americans showed up for the two showing. Both shows were sold out. It was a great success. Thanks from all of us.

"RAID was featured by the American Film Institute in Silver Spring (near D.C.). I would have loved to seen it though."

dc++ or
http://www.bittorrent.com/
might have finnish films. Most popular in 2003 were:
http://www.filmikamari.fi/page.php?id=7&tilasto_id=10

Mostly the Finnish films are not that good.
Every two or three years there is one people say is good so I watch the first 10 or so minutes.

Porvoo is famous for it that so late as the year 2003 at Porvoo's Lyseonpuisto school banned speaking Finnish during the pauses in the school-yeard.

It reminds every Finn of those times when speaking Finnish was even punished and Finnish speaking ecucation was not available because the Swedish speaking administration did not tolerate it.

To suprisingly many persons living in Finland those bad times for the Finns represent "good old times".

Speaking Finnish has certainly not been banned in any school, but pupils in Swedish-speaking schools quite often have to be encouraged to keep it to their mother-tongue - Swedish, that is - in order to strengthen their own linguistic abilities.
Too many Swedish-speakers have a hard time coming up with a sentence not heavily influenced by the Finnish language, which basically means that if the Swedish language is to remain livid, the school-system should support this fully.

Unfortenately some people just don't get this.

Rector of Lyseonpuisto school of Porvoo banned speaking Finnish during the pauses spring 2003. It was covered in the press very well specially in Uusimaa and Ilta-Sanomat.

I once asked a pupil of a French school in Helsinki if they are permitted to speak Finnish during the pauses. She was surprised if anyone even doubts that Finnish was banned to speak during the pauses.

Swedish institutions are different. There all kinds of bans against the use of Finnish and it is considered normal by the representants of Swedish culture in Finland and Aland.

What is liberalism for a representant of a Swedish culture is narrrow-mindness for a representant of a Finnish culture.

Therefore these two cultures never can understand each others. The cultural codes are simply too different.

Speaking Finnish has certainly not been banned in any school,
--
Only the pupils doing that are.

Posted by: Pete Townshend | June 13, 2005 08:04 AM
--
Funny that the swedes have either american-sounding or finnish names in these. Why not use own name instead ?

It damn true that rector of Lyseonpuisto school in Porvoo banned pupils speaking Finnish during pauses.
Here is a link to a debate of it:

http://www.vapaasana.net/tulosta.php3?id=155

This is also interesting of Abo Akademi.
It gives a picture how a caste society works:

http://www.turunsanomat.fi/verkkolehti/?ts=1,4:9:0:0,4:9:1:1:2002-09-06,4:120893,1:0:0:0:0:

Riksu rulez:
The article you shared does not imply that the principal - or anyone else for that matter - would have banned anything.
From my own experience I can tell you that Swedish schools in Finland do maintain the principle that the spoken language during classes should be Swedish, but this is obviously not the same thing as banning Finnish (there's no way a ban would be even possible).
As far as I'm concerned, that's totally alright - pupils in Swedish schools are there to learn Swedish among the other things, but as we live in a free country, anyone can choose the language to study in.

As far as your remarks concerning the differences between the Finnish- and Swedish-speaking population...well, that's just your own opinion (based on very limited experience, I'd have to guess).
I don't agree with you at all, and frankly, I think very few would.

And for the anonymous person who questioned my username: well, I usually don't participate in the Internet with my real name (why should I, really?), so why not create another, or just pick up something, as in this case?
Atleast I do have a username...

I thought this blog was for the great music coming out of Finland and of a good venue, Bar Mary?

Porvoo has always been a "friendly town" to
me and I suggest everyone visit it.

As for the music scene in Finland, I feel you should check out these artists, Fat Beat Sound, Soul Tattoo, The Latebirds, Mummy Powder, Lemonador, The Fabulettes, Saara Soisalo, Electric Sauna, and Laika & The Cosmonauts. I've seen them and they are brilliant. If you cannot make it to Finland, check them out on the internet. Most of them will have their music available to listen to.

"Pete Townshend" does not understand Finnish or do not read Finnish newspapers?

The issue of banning speaking Finnish during the pauses was covered very well in Finnish media. The order was given by rector (Swedish People's Party) of Porvoo's lyseonpuisto school. Lyseonpuisto school has Finnish speaking pupils and they are not supposed to speak their own mother-tongue within the school-yard.
When they did that rector ordered them not to speak Finnish. It is a very sensitive issue.

The ban is a sort of an echo of the decision made by Sweden's schooladministration in 1880's where it banned speaking Finnish in every Swedish school. The ban was repealed first the year 1958.

Well informed Finns are very well know about these kind of activities the Swedish speaking people practise in their institutions. This time the ban took place in Porvoo,Finland. Spring,2002!

For example Uusimaa-newspaper covered the case very well. I recommend that "Pete Townshend" start reading Finnish newspapers in order to know what is going on in Finland.

Riksu rulez:
Being a former student of a Swedish school in Finland, I know exactly what the case is about. Banning something and giving an "order" are two very different things.

Why does it even matter what the mother-tongue of the pupils is, if and when they study at a Swedish school?

I do think this is the right way to handle the situation in Swedish schools, but it would be better if the authorities would be more open about it - let the parents know that this is the way it's going to be - and then let everyone decide for themselves whether the child should be put in a Finnish or Swedish school.

By the way, this has nothing to do with any attitudes towards the Finnish language, but rather an issue of strengthening the Swedish language.

Hey Pete Hey Risku

How about changing the subject to the Finnish women?

Being a native of Los Angeles California, I've had to grow up with many insecure, shallow, and materialistic women. Getting to know the intelligence, the warmth, and humor of the Finnish chicks has been a great experience and I intend to continue it. It is one of the many reasons why I have visited Finland 15 times and will not stop.

What are your thoughts on this subject?

"Speak Swedish or leave the school".

Swedishness is advertized being tolerant culture but it is just the image outwards. The truth is completely opposite. Swedish culture is intolerant,narrowminded and in many respect faschistoid:

http://195.255.83.67/cgi-bin/mediaweb?Newsp=hbl&Date=020406&Depa=inrikes&Model=ajuttusivu.html&Story=05172899.txt#toppen

Strengthening Finnish language in Finland, Aland included, is not against Swedish language:>

Strenghtening Finnish language goes best by speaking it at Porvoo lyseonpuisto school,too.

Mickey, Finnish women are very materialistic, they see money and warm weather in you as you are american and from santa monica.

As for the other subject:
"Strenghtening Finnish language goes best by speaking it at Porvoo lyseonpuisto school,too."

Well, better leave the whole town. Being thrown off school is no use to anyone.

Are you sure you are speaking of all or most Finnish women? Since I do not know who you are, I would like to also ask, have you lived in Finland most of your life?

Are you sure you are speaking of all or most Finnish women? Since I do not know who you are, I would like to also ask, have you lived in Finland most of your life?

I live in finland and my opinion is that our culture is totally destroyed by stupid series like bold and the beautyfull and their finnish clones. Raid is very bad finnish movie making same as bad boys and one way ticket to mombasa. Good films are man without
past (mies vailla menneisyyttä) and other Kaurismäki films , Classic (klassikko), kuutamolla... shame is that main population of us does not see the same way and its destroying our film industry slowly but surely... :(

About finnish women. Most of them are totally lost to materialistic view of world and cant be saved. Ofcourse we got people who think their own mind in here too, but they surely are not the majority. Infact you have to search them from some kind of scenes becouse the pop culture is stopping the basic ones from taking alternative views to world and culture.

27 years of discrimination.

A Swedish university in Finland discriminated Finnish students.

http://www.turunsanomat.fi/verkkolehti/?ts=1,4:2:0:0,4:2:1:1:1999-12-30,4:39076,1:0:0:0:0:

Luckily western type of democracy gradually reaches even Suomi.

Turku is Finland's Alabama.

Oulu city centre smells like a poop-farm. Are you farm-hands out there?

Ah, Bar Mary, the Bar among bars.

test

I went to a Swedish-speaking school in Borgå/Porvoo and Finnish was certainly not banned there. Obviously, as it was a Swedish language institution you were expected to speak Swedish during the classes (other wise what would be the point!) But, certainly in free-time some people spoke Finnish (although clearly most of us were from Swedish-speaking families so spoke in Swedish). That said, there were some even unilingual Finnish speaking families that sent their children to Swedish speaking school (don't know why... maybe they thought that learning the other language so thoroughly would be good for the child's education?!).

I think the stories about banning either national language in schools of the opposite national language are over-exagerated. The Swedish speaking press often over emphasises the "death of Swedish" as much as the Finnish speaking press sometimes likes to over do the issue that the Swedish speaking still get preferential treatment.

Overall, I think we are fortunate to have a country that has linguistic diversity and that is so tolerate of the rights to use one's own language. I think we can only be stronger because of it. These individual incidents are rare and should be seen in the wider context of the overwhelming tolerance and good natured co-existance (actually, practically integration) between the two linguistic communities.

have a good web site i realy aprishat this web site

rights to use one's own language. I think we can only be stronger because of it.
--
It is not "a right" but more an act of violence to force Finns speak Swedish.

unilingual Finnish speaking families that sent their children to Swedish speaking school (don't know why... maybe they thought that learning the other language so thoroughly would be good for the child's education?!)
--
Reason: all the propaganda about how Swedes are better and finer, more sophisticated, more clever, how their language is the language of civilization the world envies etc. They believed it.

I would like to know, if possible, the opinion of US readers concerning this "not knowing what happens in the outside world" mentality. We here in Finland ( some of us and probably elsewhere in Europe too) tend to think that people in US do not have the slighthest idea what is going on outside their own borders. Do you people think this is the case with citizens of US, that most of the people do not really know, or that they don´t care, or is it just that we are prejudiced with the issue?

morrro'

Dear Kai and others who feel Finnish women are materialistic and clones of the Bold and the Beautiful. I have no idea where you got this image of us but I can tell you as a Finnish female PhD student that the women around me are ambitious, intelligent, honest and willing to make a difference in the world. They are also willing to combine their career and family and work hard to succeed in both personal and professional life. They live in equal partnership with their husbands/boyfriends. I've never travelled outside Europe but I've lived in France, Britain and Estonia and I can tell you I am proud of being a Finnish woman. This does not mean we didn't have any bad qualities. It's just that overall, you can take a Finnish woman as a loving, intelligent person and not as a chick to be seduced. Still, I think we have not lost our femininity.

"It's just that overall, you can take a Finnish woman as a loving, intelligent person and not as a chick to be seduced. "

Sure you can as long as you have a large car and own a house. Without there is not much hope.

Mä oon ainaski kylmistä kylmin laskelmoiva ja materialistinen kalkkuna_ ikinä.
ja tyhmäki vielä kun en oo tätä aikasemmin tajunnu mun saumoja markkinarakona. eipä itketä, vaan tullaan vaik tuumalla toimeen jos on tarvis!

Mickey... you should spend more time in Finland.

I think that many Finnish women now have lost their family values. It is reflected in the Finnish media especially women's magazines who tell Finnish women in their 30s and 40s with kids between 1 and 15 to divorce and live new 'wonderful free lives' instead focusing on their kids and family. Many Finnish women, especially in the cities, follow this advice and dump thier families.

So, the bars are full of these 30-40 somethings with small kids at home who are raised by babysitters, their parents and/or angry ex-husbands. While the women focus on work, further education or basically anything else that will allow them to escape from their responsibilities as mothers.

I think that is two generations, the family will be a thing of the past in Finland.

Just my 2 cents :-)

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