Petteri Saario

Two teenagers and their adventures in the breathtaking scenery of lake Saimaa.

The documentary Rap and Reindeer follows the life of 18-year-old Sámi rapper Mihkku Laiti, who lives in the northernmost corner of Sámiland. The film is a coming-of-age story, following Mihku on his journey towards a career as a musician and rise to stardom in the midst of varying expectations. He’s charmed the crowd on Talent Suomi and proudly wears the Sámi clothing he has styled himself. He raps and yoiks in harmony, designs his own brand on his computer but also masters the skill of laborious reindeer herding. Above all, he sees his own unique roots and the Sámi language as his greatest strength. The future makes him wonder: to follow his father’s footsteps or to reach for his dreams.

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“My friends can’t believe I go camping in winter. They think it’s crazy.” But 13-year-old Emika loves it. It’s just as beautiful as in summertime. “You just need a good tent, a sleeping bag and warm clothes.” In every school vacation, she and her cousin Antti, who is kind of like a big brother to Emika, go to the vast Saimaa Lake, an amazing nature reserve with thousands of islands, in Finland. You just have to see the magical frozen lake, woodpeckers in the snowy woods and fish beneath the ice, the starry sky and the Northern Lights to understand why Emika and Antti keep coming back here… A deeply engaging story about our true connection with nature.

Finnish nature documentary by Petteri Saario explores the extreme, harsh lives of creatures on outer sea islets. Film documents grey seals and sea eagles through all seasons, showing the impact of storms and climate change on their breeding grounds.