Sara Beate Eira (Screaming Fox Productions) and Eva Åkergren (Nordisk Film Sweden) have boarded Finnish project “Máttáráhká,” aka “When Johan Johanaš Disappeared to the Mountains.”
Directed by Suvi West, and Anssi Kömi, it’s produced by Julia Elomäki for Tekele Productions. Cinematographer Kerttu Hakkarainen, behind “Heartbeast” and “Natatorium,” will lens the film.
In “Máttáráhká” – presented at Goteborg’s Nordic Film Market’s Discovery Co-production Platform – Máret, who’s a filmmaker, lives in a beautiful place where predators are always present. Disillusioned by her culture’s chauvinism and indifference, her life changes thanks to a passionate relationship with Johan Johanaš, allowing her to confront sexual traumas and find her own path.
“For me, it’s actually a comedy. But maybe it’s just my dark and surrealistic mind. It’s definitely an empowering project. I call it an intersectional version of ‘Barbie,’” Suvi West told Variety.
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“It’s dark and grotesque, but there’s also magical realism. There is threat of sexual violence, but I wouldn’t call it a violent film. It’s not attached to realism in that sense.”
Instead of setting her story in a specific period, the Sámi director and screenwriter wanted to make it “timeless.”
“There are elements from the 16th century to modern days and it’s not the kind of place that actually exists. In Sámi way of thinking, time is not linear. It’s a circle and everything is connected. Which means I carry my future and my past with me all the time.”
In “Máttáráhká,” women are told they have a certain role in society.
“You take care of everybody and everything. It looks like a matriarchal system, but not when it comes to the ownership of your own body. Máret struggles with these values, she’s also being blamed for men’s actions. She wants to leave.”
Luckily, she has someone special to look up to: Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman.”
“She wants to be her; she wants to go to Europe and become a TV star. She’s trying to get away from her traditional society, even though her mission there isn’t complete. When she meets this man, her spiritual powers grow. When she finally goes to Europe, she finds out that the woman’s position is not better there either. She needs to come back and fix her society with her powers: one of them is the power of storytelling.”
West has become known for her politically charged documentaries, “Eatnameamet – Our Silent Struggle” and “Homecoming.” But telling a fictional story doesn’t feel like a detour – quite the opposite.
“It feels like going back to my roots. I started out exploring humorous stories about sexuality and womanhood. Then I moved away from Sápmi land and felt I needed to do my part. As a filmmaker, I’ve joined the battle of decolonization. I wanted to help my society and now, I can take a break. I’ve moved back home and I remembered who I was when I was 16 years old. I needed to confront that ‘old me’ again.”
West is also working on a novel, out in May.
“It also depicts a surrealistic world. Of course, a film about women’s empowerment is also political. But this time, I’m not doing it for the world. I’m doing it for myself.”
“Suvi is a visionary filmmaker. As I read the first draft of the script a few years back, I was overwhelmed. It was such an exceptional reading experience,” said producer Julia Elomäki.
“How could anyone write about finding your own path, love, sexuality, traumas and taboos so eloquently in the form of a feature film script? I am so happy to work together with Eva Åkergren and Sara Beate Eira, and make this a co-production between Sweden, Norway and Sápmi. I feel that now, in times like these, our surrealistic story filled with dark comedy is a perfect hideaway.”
Elomäki and Marja Pihlaja have now become owners of Helsinki-based Tekele Productions, a change Elomäki described as “meaningful both professionally and personally.” The founder, producer Miia Haavisto, continues as a partner and CEO of the company.
“Máttáráhká” will be Tekele Productions’ sixth feature, following the likes of “Eden,” “Bad Women” and “Butterflies,” with “Summer is Crazy” by Ulla Heikkilä currently in post-production.