Directing
In the aftermath of a death, a home is cleaned out; the accumulation of a life is removed in bags and recycle bins. But what becomes of the collection of books? Laura Rantanen’s resoundingly moving and wistful documentary reflects on the end of life, what lingers behind, and the moments when a book breaks through the monotony to open the world around us.
On the basis of anonymous telephone calls made to a helpline for teenagers, On Hold makes us hear a dissonant speech. Recounted here by older people, these testimonies are the occasion to question the construction of masculinity and its generational heritage. Between humour and dread, the film unveils what remains unsaid in a sick society.
After the sunset, a man wonders between the edges of the highways gathering edible roadkill animals.
Have you ever wondered what the men standing guard in front of prestigious buildings think? Laura Rantanen’s short documentary follows three honorary guard members in Helsinki, as their minds wander while staring at a grey construction fence. The 2018 production for Uneton48 Docs paints the mindscapes for each of the three guards in turn. Their focused expressions hide dreams and views of the sea behind them.
A group of men and women, strangers to each other, choose to spend a different kind of summer holiday week by traveling to the beautiful Turku archipelago to participate in an inviting, upgraded version of an adult camp. When they discover that the galloping horses from the camp's sales video are just symbols of a free mind, and the guru of the camp takes off to witness his dog in labour, the participants are forced to examine themselves and each other to find the necessary elements for growth. Perhaps the camp doesn't fulfill its promise of the "most wonderful week of your life", but one thing's for sure - no one returns home the same.
