Co-organized by Finnkino and YLE, Docpoint is since last year under the aegis of artistic director Virpi Suutari who has chosen for the festival's 7th edition Special Focuses on Iran, Austria and one of its most famous film ambassadors, Ulrich Seidl. The director of the controversial Import/Export will be on hand to discuss the boundaries between fact and fiction as part of a master-class on Sunday January 27. Other panels will focus on ‘New Naturalists from Russia', ‘Economy and Fairness', ‘Young Visions-Lost Opportunities', ‘Everyday Weirdness-Stranger than Fiction', and ‘Images of the Civil War'.
This year's new Finnish Docs programme comprises 20 short, medium and long feature films selected among 105 titles by jury members Virpi Suutari, member of Finnish parliament Heidi Hautala, journalist Taina West, filmmakers Anu Kuivalainen and Aleksi Salmenperä (A Man's Job).
Among the latest documentaries on display are Shadow of the Holy Book by Arto Halonen about Turkmenistan's Book of Soul, a ‘guidance' book for the country's citizens, written by Turkmenistan's now deceased dictator Saparmarat Niazov, and BAM by Jouni Hiltunen about the railroad between Baikal and Amur, built under the Soviet Union rule. Shadow of the Holy Book is produced by Arts Film Production, and BAM by Making Movies. Both films received support from Nordisk Film & TV Fond.
Finland's iconic cultural figure Jörn Donner (producer of Ingmar Bergman's Fanny & Alexander), is this year's recipient of the Apollo Award which he received on the festival's opening night, Wednesday January 23.