Newsletter 22.1.2008: DocPoint Opens in Helsinki on Wednesday 23rd January
The seventh edition of DocPoint Helsinki Documentary Film Festival opens
on Wednesday the 23rd January with Finnish director Arto Halonen’s
Shadow of the Holy Book, which premiered in IDFA in November. The film
deals with the current situation of Turkmenistan and raises questions
about the moral responsibility and obligations of international
corporations. DocPoint takes place in Helsinki, Finland 23.–27.1.2008.
On the opening day DocPoint awards Jörn Donner (b. 1933), the noted
Finnish talent of cinema and a documentary film maker, with Apollo Award
for his contributions to Finnish documentary cinema. To celebrate the
award the festival showcases a selection of Donner’s films. The award
will be handed to Donner at the festival opening in Bio Rex on the 23rd
of Jan.
Highlights of DocPoint Programme
DocPoint's main themes include Austrian and Iranian documentaries. The
guest of honour of the festival is director Ulrich Seidl from Austria.
DocPoint also hosts special guests from Iran: filmmaker and festival
director Massoud Bakhshi and director Ebrahim Mokhtari (e.g. Zinat, One
Special Day) will visit Helsinki and DocPoint festival.
Themes in DocPoint programme include War/Atonement, featuring a new
Finnish documentary film Victims by Seppo Rustanius about the Finnish
civil war in 1918. DocPoint’s Young Visions - Lost Opportunities?
-programme brings several film makers such as Michael Noer (Vesterbro), Lena Rouxel (My Palestine) and Yaniv Berman (The Alpha Diaries) to
Helsinki as DocPoint’s guests.
DocPoint offers a unique cinema concert where the early documentary
classic, Robert J. Flaherty's Nanook of the North, is accompanied by
Kraft, a two-man-band of young and aspiring Finnish musicians Pekka
Kuusisto and Johanna Juhola. Saturday night in DocPoint is American
Night, a tribute to the American film makers Albert and David Mayslesfeaturing three films from Maysles’ 1960’s production. DocPoint also
pays a tribute to the work of legendary Finnish television journalist
and documentarist, Hannu Karpo. Karpo’s Finland -programme is DocPoint's
tribute to Karpo's unique work in the interpretation of the Finnish
state of mind.
DocPoint screenings take place in Helsinki in Bio Rex, Maxim and Kiasma
Teatteri and Ateneum cinemas. Tickets from the venue of the screening
one hour before the first screening at the latest. The festival
programme includes clubs, discussions and a Masterclass hosted by Ulrich
Seidl. Further information about DocPoint events online at
www.docpoint.info.
Further information and press materials:
Liisa Lehmusto
Press Coordinator
mailto:liisa.lehmusto@docpoint.info
+358 50 358 5488
DocPoint - Helsinki Documentary Film Festival
Fredrikinkatu 23
FIN-00120 Helsinki
Finland
Tel: +358-9-672472
www.docpoint.info
|