3 weeks ago
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Finnish Director Lauri-Matti Parppei will follow Cannes ACID title “A Light That Never Goes Out” with “Alone With the Moon,” a magical realist coming-of-age drama.
“With some horror elements,” they added.
In the film, set in 2001, a strange, androgynous teenager shows up at a Finnish farmhouse. Taken in by a teenage daughter of the family, who’s fantasizing about taking her own life, the two teens develop a warm and intense relationship. But the guest might not actually be human.
“When I was 15, I was the loneliest person in the world. I dreamed of finding someone, or something, that would turn my life around. Together, we wouldn’t be lonely again,” said Parppei.
“Not that long ago, I was in a small town, trying to find an edible piece of moldy bread, because I didn’t dare to leave my apartment. Now, I’ve found myself in this bourgeois world of filmmaking, but I still feel like an outsider. This story deals with depression, loneliness, friendship and gender, and some of these themes are present in ‘A Light That Never Goes Out’ as well.”
Their debut feature, already described as a “feel-good movie about depression,” follows acclaimed flautist Pauli, who returns to his hometown — and his parents’ house — after a breakdown. But old schoolmate Iiris doesn’t allow him to wallow in his pain. Instead, she wants him to join her experimental band. Or rather, a “paramilitary noise collective.”
Lensed by Mikko Parttimaa and featuring Samuel Kujala, Anna Rosaliina Kauno, Camille Auer and Kaisa-Leena Koskenkorva, it’s produced by Made and co-produced by Norway’s Goodtime Pictures. Patra Spanou Film handles sales.
“We are not mocking depression, but we’re trying to find some fun elements coming from that very human experience. When you’re at your lowest, it can be a bit comedic,” said Parppei, also responsible for composing most of the musical performances heard in the film.
“We had many bands with my friends and we released a lot of albums,” they said. “They were big hits — nowhere. There were more people on the stage than in the audience. Everything in the film was played live in front of the camera. Even if you don’t like the actual pieces, you can see how fun it is and how many interesting sounds you’re able to get out of simple and cheap things.”
Including a blender.
“The whole music part could’ve been off-putting if the actors didn’t really believe in it. It’s weird, but it’s still extremely emotional and we were lucky to find people who didn’t find it silly. I’ve had so many relationships that have grown out of these weird art projects. It’s my love letter to being in a band,” they said.
Ilona Tolmunen, producing for Helsinki-based Made — which will also board “Alone With the Moon” — agreed: “I related to the story. Even though I’m not a musician, I grew up in a small village as a depressed teenager. We’ve done short films together, then a TV series and I could see how talented Lauri-Matti is. They’re making art in their own way, and yet it’s perfectly clear to everyone else. That’s also my philosophy.”
While “not exactly autobiographical,” it’s a personal film for Parppei.
“There are a couple of people playing themselves and the main characters are partly based on my friends — or me, in different phases of my life. My friend was helping us record the music and said: ‘Some of these things didn’t happen, but I still remember them’. That was heartwarming to hear. I didn’t want to exploit or re-create our memories, but I wanted to capture a certain feeling.”
As well as embrace some out-there ideas, including a “flickering dog” with a skin disease that apparently makes him glow.
“It was an integral part of this world. When you are struggling with depression, sometimes you see things differently. It’s a local story, but I’ve been surprised by how well it has worked. Maybe we’ve touched upon a shared experience of being an outsider,” they wondered.
“It has been strange, making a film about not caring about success or fame, and about not bowing to the establishment, while trying to beg the establishment for money. Now, we are heading to Cannes. It’s more than I could’ve ever imagined when making underground art with my friends in our small town.”
English (US) ·