KINNUNEN

A Finn comes to Estonia in search of a wife. A common enough occurrence in view of the gaping economic discrepancy between the two countries. What makes the film interesting is the Kaurismäki-like narrative style able to transform so-called normality into a multi-dimensional, bizarre tale of interpersonal relations between “man and woman”, for instance, or “Finns and Estonians”.

The viewer shares the surprise of the Estonian police to learn that the Finn who falls overboard as the ferry approaches Estonian shores is evidently sober. Equally surprising: this guest from Finland displays manners a world apart from the often less charming ones of the average Finnish (sex) tourist. Once the new arrival has got the haircut he requests to make him look “young, smart and attractive”, he’s ready to start learning the local lingo – again hardly typical tourist behaviour. Determined to master the difficult language as fast as he can, he soon swaps the group lessons for individual coaching. As he gradually gets to know his young teacher, we begin to realise that the Estonian woman and the eccentric Finn have more in common than it first appeared.