Never stop betting on the underdog: Lauri-Matti Parppei’s debut feature, A Light That Never Goes Out [+lire aussi :
critique
fiche film], left its rivals in the dust at the Finnish Jussi Awards, picking up seven statuettes, including the one for Film of the Year.

As revealed on 20 March, during a gala also attended by Finland’s president, Alexander Stubb, Parppei was also awarded Directing of the Year, Best Scriptwriting and Best Music. That wasn’t the end of it, though – Samuel Kujala was named Lead Actor of the Year, with his partner in crime, Anna Rosaliina Kauno, praised for Breakthrough Role of the Year. Finally, Sound Design of the Year went to Juuso Oksala and Yngve Leidulv Saetre.

The film, produced by Ilona Tolmunen for Elokuvatuotantoyhtiö Made, world-premiered in ACID at Cannes. It sees a young flautist – once deemed a genius – going through a massive breakdown. His concerned parents ship him off to their sleepy town, but he can’t really count on soothing silence to calm his nerves. Instead, a new friend (and old schoolmate) introduces him to the glorious noise of experimental music-making.

While arguably the biggest, A Light That Never Goes Out wasn’t the only star in the room. Teemu Nikki’s high-proof comedy 100 Liters of Gold [+lire aussi :
critique
interview : Teemu Nikki
fiche film], which set the local box office on fire and is readying for a US remake, left with the Ensemble of the Year Award for Pirjo Lonka and Elina Knihtilä, who picked up the Nordisk Film Award as well. Ville Tiihonen, also acting in the film, was crowned Best Supporting Actor. The film sees two sisters in a bit of a pickle – after agreeing to provide their famous homemade beer for a wedding, they wake up only to realise they have actually drunk it all. Horribly hungover, not to mention desperate, they have no time to lose to replace it. 100 Liters of Gold was Finland’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film – Nikki’s second pick after 2017’s Euthanizer [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Teemu Nikki
fiche film].

The Helsinki Effect [+lire aussi :
interview : Arthur Franck
fiche film], directed by Arthur Franck, was chosen as Best Documentary, with Franck and Markus Leppälä also rewarded for their editing. Exploring the long-lasting myths of the Cold War era and based on archival footage, it was produced by Sandra Enkvist, Oskar Forstén and Franck for Polygraf.

Arguably the bloodiest film of the bunch, Sisu: Road to Revenge, was rewarded for its make-up (Salla Yli-Luopa) and visual effects (Jussi Lehtiniemi), while director Jalmari Helander emerged with the International Breakthrough Award. Genre master Helander previously delivered Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Jalmari Helander
fiche film] and Big Game [+lire aussi :
bande-annonce
making of
fiche film], with Samuel L Jackson. The World War II action flick Sisu [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
fiche film] – whose equally violent sequel is Sisu: Road to Revenge – gained him even more fans, leading to him now helming a new take on John Rambo.

Eugen Tamberg won Costume Design of the Year for Never Alone [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
fiche film] and Max Smeds Cinematography of the Year for Orenda [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Pirjo Honkasalo
fiche film], while Vilja Katramo and Okku Rahikainen were noticed for their production design in Raptures [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
fiche film]. Acclaimed actor Sherwan Haji made his mark as a director, as My Name Is Hope was named Best Short of the Year.

Other prizes included the Lifetime Achievement Concrete Jussi for Jussi Mäkelä, the Audience Award for the comedy Cancel by Tuukka Temonen and the Heroic Deed of the Year title for Laura Sutinen, who hosted various international productions filming in Finland. A heroic deed, indeed.

The Jussis are the oldest national film award in Europe, first given out back in 1944.

Here is the full list of winners:

Film of the Year
A Light That Never Goes Out [+lire aussi :
critique
fiche film] – Lauri-Matti Parppei (Finland/Norway)

Directing of the Year
Lauri-Matti Parppei – A Light That Never Goes Out

Ensemble of the Year
Pirjo Lonka, Elina Knihtilä – 100 Liters of Gold [+lire aussi :
critique
interview : Teemu Nikki
fiche film] (Finland/Italy)

Lead Actor of the Year
Samuel Kujala – A Light That Never Goes Out

Supporting Actor of the Year
Ville Tiihonen – 100 Liters of Gold

Breakthrough Role of the Year
Anna Rosaliina Kauno – A Light That Never Goes Out

Scriptwriting of the Year
Lauri-Matti Parppei – A Light That Never Goes Out

Cinematography of the Year
Max Smeds – Orenda [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Pirjo Honkasalo
fiche film] (Finland)

Music of the Year
Lauri-Matti Parppei – A Light That Never Goes Out

Sound Design of the Year
Juuso Oksala, Yngve Leidulv Saetre – A Light That Never Goes Out

Editing of the Year
Markus Leppälä, Arthur Franck – The Helsinki Effect [+lire aussi :
interview : Arthur Franck
fiche film] (Finland/Germany/Norway)

Production Design of the Year
Vilja Katramo, Okku Rahikainen – Raptures [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
fiche film] (Sweden/Finland)

Costume Design of the Year
Eugen Tamberg – Never Alone [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
fiche film] (Finland/Estonia/Austria/Germany/Sweden)

Make-up Design of the Year
Salla Yli-Luopa – Sisu: Road to Revenge (UK/Finland/USA)

Visual Effects of the Year
Jussi Lehtiniemi – Sisu: Road to Revenge

Documentary Film of the Year
The Helsinki Effect - Arthur Franck

Short Film of the Year
My Name Is Hope - Sherwan Haji (Finland, short film)

Lifetime Achievement Concrete Jussi Award
Jussi Mäkelä

Heroic Deed of the Year
Laura Sutinen

International Breakthrough
Jalmari Helander

Winner of the Audience Vote
Cancel – Tuukka Temonen (Finland)

Nordisk Film Award
Elina Knihtilä, Pirjo Lonka