Another View 2009 / Kielletty hedelmä / Finland, Sweden 2009
Two attractive adolescent girls, Maria and Raakel, are bound by the rules of a rigid religious community. Alcohol and premarital sex are prohibited although Maria would, to say the least, like to dabble in both. Will her hunger for forbidden fruit bring disaster or liberation?
Attractive Maria leaves the constricting grip of her strongly religious family and community and sets out for the big city. The clearly more timorous Raakel follows her, not in the hope of sharing her pleasures, but to ensure that her friend returns as untainted as possible. Which of the girls will be ground down more by the big world? Or will it turn out that the more destructive environment is the one in which they grew up? The film makes use of melodramatic forms to satisfy its generic requirements, as well as to intelligibly question existential issues. The fundamental source of dramatic tension stems from a conflict between two types of upbringing. Despite empty words, the religiously motivated lifestyle is portrayed as begrudging of any form of liberation. The movie does not, however, idealize a world that Western city kids consider "normal,” and it sensitively divides its attention between the allure of common enjoyments and hints of their danger. Yet it also clearly states that indulging in pleasure with no evil intent need not necessarily be a sin.
98 min / Color, 35 mm
Director Dome Karukoski
/ Screenplay Aleksi Bardy
/ Dir. of Photography Tuomo Hutri
/ Music Adam Nordén
/ Editor Harri Ylönen
/ Producer Aleksi Bardy
/ Production Helsinki - filmi Oy
/ Cast Marjut Maristo, Amanda Pilke, Joel Mäkinen, Malla Malmivaara
/ Contact The Finnish Film Foundation, NonStop Sales AB
www: www.nonstopsales.com/forbiddenfruit
Dome Karukoski (b. 1976, Nicosia, Cyprus) graduated from Helsinki’s University of Art and Design (UIAH) and began focusing on issues facing young people in his graduation project Beauty and the Bastard (Tyttö, sinä olet tähti, 2005). This popular movie was nominated for eight Jussis, Finnish national film awards, and was screened at the Berlinale and Tribeca. His second film, The Home of Dark Butterflies (Tummien perhosten koti, 2008), was selected to represent Finland at the Academy Awards, and it brought Karukoski a Jussi for Best Director. In addition to directing features, Karukoski works in television, and enjoys playing and coaching floorball and American football. Forbidden Fruit is his third feature.
The Finnish Film Foundation
Kanavakatu 12, 2nd floor, 00160, Helsinki
Finland
Phone: +358 962 203 00
Fax: +358 962 203 050
E-mail: [email protected]
NonStop Sales AB
Döbelnsgatan 24, SE 113 52, Stockholm
Sweden
Phone: +46 8 673 9989, +46 8 673 9980
Fax: +46 8 673 9988
E-mail: [email protected]
Dome Karukoski
Film Director
Olavi Uusivirta
Actor
Miira Paasilinna
Buyer, Sales Agent
Satu Elo
Film Institution Rep.
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