Boiling Point
Documentary film 90′, 2017
Watch the trailer and rent the whole film
You can rent “Boiling Point” for a time period of 2 days: Just click the icon on the top-right corner of the screening window. Payment by credit card or PayPal. Subtitled in english!
Financial inequality, lack of vision, fear and anger especially towards asylum seekers, has been growing rapidly in Europe, also in Finland. People are increasingly afraid that their home environment is becoming unrecognizable and undesirable. Populist demagogues have risen to harness these fears and to raise people against each other.
In the middle of all this turmoil are two men, Oula (46) and Tapio (71). Although they disagree on almost everything, they have decided to continue their weekly discussions in a public sauna in Helsinki. They continue because they respect each other, and because they understand that when conversation ends, violence begins.
“Boiling Point” is an award-winning documentary film by director and writer Elina Hirvonen. The film paints a shocking image of contemporary Europe, but also looks for a common ground between strongly opinionated groups of people.
Director’s Foreword
“In 2016 I realized that a big change had taken place in Finland. There’s xenophobia and a lot of people who feel that they haven’t gotten what politicians have promised and that they’re on the margins of society with no one listening to them.
I chose the main characters of the film so that viewers could like every one of them, even those who think differently from them. When Oula and Tapsa sit naked in the sauna despite their different views, I think they’re doing Finns a big favor.
Finland is divided, and I think we need to cleanse the atmosphere of hate. I hope my film will be a good preface to that conversation.”
Elina Hirvonen, writer, journalist, film director
Scriptwriter and Director Elina Hirvonen
Cinematography Jarkko M. Virtanen
Editing Timo Peltola
Sound Recording and Sound Design Kimmo Vänttinen
Graphic Design Ville Tietäväinen
Music Hans Wessels
Production Manager Juha Löppönen
Producer Sami Jahnukainen / Mouka Filmi
In Collaboration with Erkko Lyytinen / Yle Dokumentit
Development- and Production Support
Piia Nokelainen / The Finnish Film Foundation
Outi Rousu / Avek
Juha Rajamäki / The Finnish Church Media Foundation
Arts Promotion Centre of Finland
CAMPAIGN
In Spring 2017 Mouka Filmi in collaboration with the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, the Finnish Ministry of Justice, Finnish Ministry of Labour, Finnish Red Cross and Aalto University’s Critical Cinema Lab organized an impact campaign around Boiling Point -documentary film. During the campaign, the film was available for free public and private screenings around Finland, and the organizers of the screenings were advised to host discussions.
By the end of the campaign in May 2017, a total of 738 screenings had been organized, and approximately 18.000 people had taken part in the events. Vast majority of the participants experienced the discussion events positively: 92% experienced the atmosphere of the events safe and inviting, and 85% felt they could talk about their own experiences, feelings and ideas.
Overall, the campaign was considered as a big success by the organizers, participants and collaborators.
