Aki Kaurismäki's Juha at the Forum






In 1999, the International Forum of New Cinema will screen the new film by Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki, JUHA, as a world premiere. The International Forum takes place from February 11-21, 1999 in the context of the Berlin Film Festival. The film is based on a novel of the same title by Finnish author Juhani Aho, published in 1911. It is a triangular drama with a tragic ending. JUHA was conceived by Kaurismäki as a silent film. The film brings the language of classical silent film back to life. It features music and sounds while dialogues appear as intertitles. The film's main actors are Kati Outinen (known from "The Match Factory Girl"), Sakari Kuosmanen and André Wilms. Timo Salminen is the camera person. JUHA was produced by Kaurismäki's own company Sputnik Oy. The film will be screened in Berlin as a silent film with live music at the Delphi Film Palace and at the Academy of Arts. Anssi Tikanmäki, composer of the film's music, will direct the 'Anssi Tikanmäki Film Orchestra'. The screening at the Forum will be supported by the Finnish Film Foundation. The International Forum has shown other films by Aki Kaurismäki in earlier years such as "Hamlet Goes Business" (1988), "Ariel" (1989), "The Match Factory Girl" (1990), "Leningrad Cowboys Go America" (1990), "I Hired A Contract Killer" (1991), "La Vie de Boheme" (1992) and "Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses" (1994). December 18th, 1998