Once Upon a Time in a Forest

Ida, Minka, Ville, Otto and Eerik are just some of the young activists working to protect Finland's forests. It's a commitment that stems from a love of nature itself, its flora and fauna, and its richness, and that fits into a broader logic – that of a sensitivity that calls for the protection of the "weakest" or "those who can't defend themselves". Once upon a time, in a forest, there were young activists full of enthusiasm and hundred-year-old trees threatened with being turned into disposable goods. While the camera of filmmaker Virpi Suutari (Garden Lovers, VdR 2014) follows these heroes and heroines as they confront the giants of the forestry industry – at a round table or during blockades – it does not neglect to capture them in their moments of osmosis with nature: an impromptu encounter with a frog, a dip in a lake and the sun's rays as they warm the skin. A sensual film full of grace and love for its characters, that renders palpable our necessary ties to the living world.
Mourad-Anis Moussa

Once Upon a Time in a Forest, 2024