The story of the film is told through tales that are based around the myths, legends and old beliefs that are part of the Finnish mythology. There are two narrative voices in the story, one male and one female. The female voice also the first-person narrator, who is the main character of the story, is the daughter of Ahti and Vellamo, the god and goddess of the sea. She is Ahitar, the maiden of water. This sea maiden is a spirit born in a spring who has her own tale in the Finnish mythology. (This narrator is personified in the story, and she is not to be confused with the mermaids, characters commonly found in many stories and fairy tales.) There are five acts in the story, and the different times of year follow the different acts. The speak text recounts the history of the Finnish lakes spanning over thousands of years, and introduces its animals, sights and miracles.
What's On
Tafiti – Across the Desert Tafiti – Across the Desert
Nina Wels
Sunday, 28. 06. 2026 / 17:00 / Main Hall
The Ugly Stepsister Den stygge stesøsteren
Emilie Blichfeldt
Sunday, 28. 06. 2026 / 19:00 / Main Hall
The naïve and awkward Elvira is preparing for the royal ball, where she will compete with her charming stepsister for the affections of the handsome prince. However, her transformation into a swan has devastating – and repulsive – consequences. This dark, grotesque reimagining of Cinderella earned the Norwegian director the Best Film award at Sitges.
Pillion Pillion
Harry Lighton
Sunday, 28. 06. 2026 / 21:20 / Main Hall
This explicit and raw yet surprisingly tender film challenges our notions of what an ideal relationship should look like. It won the Best Screenplay Award at Cannes.