Alli Haapasalo’s coming-of-age tale focuses on three Finnish teens nearing adulthood and working out what is important to them.
Mimmi (Aamu Milonoff), Rönkkö (Eleonoora Kauhanen) and Emma (Linnea Leino) are school friends trying to find meaning in their lives in modern-day Helsinki. They want to find love, but not at the expense of their own identity. They want to enjoy life in work and leisure, but on their own terms. It’s particularly tough for Emma, a figure skater whose overbearing parents hound her at any given opportunity. But each of these three faces challenges. The biggest is to work out what is extraordinary about their ordinary lives.
Haapasalo’s film revels in the everydayness of each of the three protagonists’ lives. The way she portrays the smallest moments is why the film transcends class and culture, creating a universal tale that perfectly captures an awkward yet thrilling moment on the cusp of adulthood.
