Film Synopses:

Helsinki Twilight 1984

2010, Pete Europa (Petri Hakkarainen), 76 minutes, Finland

The documentary film Helsinki Twilight 1984 takes us back in time into the fascinating period between 1979 and 1985, when Helsinki and the rest of Finland moved towards an increasingly diverse and free social climate. For a period the length of a blink, Helsinki was like Berlin between the wars—full of ideas, encounters, and nonstop partying, all against the backdrop of the Cold War. Grassroots media, like small magazines, pirate radio, and independent fashion, proliferated within pop culture.

About the Director:

Pete Europa (Petri Hakkarainen) graduated from the University of Art and Design Helsinki with a degree in film directing. Today he works as a director and a scriptwriter. Major television works include Halosen harharetket and The New Song of Väinämöinen, a remaking of the Finnish national epic Kalevala.

Film Synopses:

Grandma Lo-Fi

2011, Orri Jónsson and Kristín Björk Kristjánsdóttir, and Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir, 62 minutes, Iceland

At the tender age of 70, Sigríður Níelsdóttir started recording and releasing her own music straight from her living room. Seven years later, she had 59 albums to her name and more than 600 songs—an eccentric myriad of catchy compositions using her pets, found toys, kitchen utensils, and a Casio keyboard.

About the Directors:

Orri Jónsson (b. 1970) received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts in New York in 1996. Orri is a photographer and a musician in the band Slowblow. Grandma Lo-Fi is his first feature film.

Kristín Björk Kristjánsdóttir (b. 1977) is a musician and visual artist. She co-founded Kitchen Motors, an art collective, think tank, and record label. She also records and performs music under the name KiraKira, with two albums released. Kristjánsdóttir is debuting as a feature filmmaker with Grandma Lo-Fi.

Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir (b. 1981) is a visual artist living in Reykjavík. She has done album covers and music videos for artists such as Jónsi, Múm, Seabear, Sin Fang, and more. Birgisdóttir made all the animations in Grandma Lo-Fi, her first feature film.