26/11/2024 - The director tells us more about her film that proves that people still need to fight for the environment everywhere – even in Finland

(© Tero Ahonen)

Presented at multiple documentary festivals since its spring premiere – including, most recently, IDFA – Virpi Suutari’s Once Upon a Time in a Forest [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Virpi Suutari
film profile] proves that people need to fight for the environment everywhere – even in Finland, still famous for its nature. Luckily, for some, it’s already their lives’ mission, even though they are sometimes still very young.

Cineuropa: Last time we spoke, you were about to start your festival journey. Were you surprised by some of the reactions, especially from the younger audiences?
Virpi Suutari: I’m extremely happy to see how diverse this film’s life has already been. It was shown to younger audiences at schools in Finland and Denmark, but it has also been discussed among scientific circles – two weeks ago, at the Global Science Film Festival in Switzerland. It was also named Best Nordic Feature for Children and Youth at BUSTER in Denmark.

The main feedback had to do with how empowering it felt and how the protagonists of the film prove that emotions, environmental anxieties and sorrow can actually be channelled into action. I am grateful to witness how this doc isn’t increasing aggression or paralysis, but rather, it’s able to create understanding between different people in society.

Is it harder when you talk about activists or people with some kind of life mission? You want to show what they do, of course, but you must also have your own thoughts on it.
It can be demanding to make a film featuring people with a strong agenda. I guess my extensive experience in documentary filmmaking helped me stay close to the protagonists but also keep some necessary distance. You always have to understand your characters, but you can’t flatter them. I had to remind myself I wasn’t one of the activists – my mission was to take care of the film. At the same time, making it was easy because what they’re saying pretty much corresponds with what the scientists are telling us about our forestry and biodiversity loss.

It’s a film about environmental issues, but also about being young. They are not naïve; they know it’s a difficult fight. But did following them make you hopeful?
I really needed this film – also for personal reasons. The company of these young radicals made me remember how essential it is to stay curious, to stay active and not close your eyes to reality. Most of us in the Western world need to be more radical. We all need more rebellion in our lives, and we need to show our solidarity with the young generation. Following these beautiful young people opened me up emotionally and intellectually. It made me realise what’s really going on. They made me feel ashamed of my laziness and cynical attitudes, and challenged me to learn more about the state of Finnish forests.

Now that you’ve done it, why do you think the older generations would rather ignore their pleas? These younger activists are often ridiculed, but why? We know they are right.
Their sincerity and clarity make us feel guilty. They are our moral compasses, but we would rather go on with our old habits. We are either too tired or too intellectually lazy to change course. Our ignorance is exposed by their gaze and their actions, and we don’t like to be exposed this way.

You talk about a movement, but did you always want to have multiple protagonists?
The film is about the new forest movement in Finland, so naturally, there are several characters. Still, eventually I chose two strong protagonists, Ida and Minka. Their personalities complemented each other. Ida is capable of being a strategic leader and thinker, even despite her young age, but then she suddenly turns into a playful child. Minka, on the other hand, has just started to learn about forest ecology. She had that kind of movie-star aura about her.

Docs that touch upon environmental changes don’t always focus on nature – they revolve around politics or the protests. Why did you want to show nature and really make sure people could appreciate it?
The “activist” films are often problematic for the so-called ordinary audience because they try to teach them so much. People don’t like it when someone is preaching. They need to be able to reflect on these issues themselves. We wanted to approach this topic more gently, also by showing the very reason why the activists are doing what they’re doing. I think the immersive nature scenes, shot by our cinematographer, Teemu Liakka, give the viewer all of the necessary space to reflect and feel. Some of them feel magical because we wanted to express the environmental sorrows of the young generation – when Minka is diving in the forest, she’s also saying farewell to many of the things we used to take for granted.

Has the way you approach documentary filmmaking changed over the years? Do you have any strict rules that you always follow?
I’ve been directing documentaries for over 30 years, and I had some “dogmas” at the beginning. The older I get, the freer I become. I think every project “tells” me what it needs, but at the core, there’s still this idea of playing, and a sincere effort to understand my characters and their complex realities. You can’t approach them with some moralistic mindset. Filmmaking is about looking at life from unexpected angles. Staying open and curious – that’s my dogma today.