Love and Anarchy salutes Captain Abu Raed

by Annika Pham

29/09/2008 - The 21st Helsinki International Film Festival - Love & Anarchy closed last night with the screening of Laurent Cantet’s The Class [trailer, film focus] and the announcement of the Finnkino Prize winner: Jordan’s entry for this year’s Oscars, Captain Abu Raed [trailer] by Aman Matalqa.

The film about a reclusive airport janitor, who dreams of seeing the world but has to make do with books and brief encounters with passengers, was one of ten titles competing for the newly created Finnkino Prize, attached to a nationwide distribution contract. Captain Aby Raed will now be released in Finland through Finnkino, Finland’s largest distribution company, on December 19. Fortissimo handles world sales.

A record number of international feature films (120) screened at the HIFF, to feed Helsinki audiences’ growing taste for more adventurous film experiences. Top international guests who attended the event include French writer Frederic Beigbeder (write of 99 F [trailer]); Estonian filmmakers Veiko Õunpuu Autumn Ball [trailer]), Ilmar Raag (The Class [trailer]) and Rene Vilbre (I Was Here); Mexican filmmaker Carlos Reygadas (Silent Night [trailer]); and the two nominees for the Nordic Council Film Prize: Stian Kristiansen from Norway (The Man Who Loved Yngve [trailer]) and Danish filmmaker Jakob Thuesen (Erik Nietzsche Part 1).

During the Finnish gala evening last Thursday, experienced documentary filmmaker Kiti Luostarinen was named Director of the Year by the Association of Finnish Film Directors, and Kaarle Aho and Kai Norderg (Black Ice [trailer, film focus]) Producers of the Year by the Central Organization of Finnish Film Producers.