What there is to see (24 min, stereo)

What there is to See (Mitä on Nähdä) is a kind of association chain, based on the idea of the relationship between an urban utopia and nature.

The starting point for the work is the pioneer of romantic landscape painting, Caspar David Friedrich, a white European man. Nationalism and colonialism that followed the romantic landscape are examined, for example, through a French children’s book by Jean de Brunoff. In the true spirit of colonialism, Babar the
Elephant presents us with a utopian city in a civilized country.

These two key ideas form the basis of the story, and they are viewed against the background of a new residential area in Jätkäsaari, Helsinki.

The film, which includes actors from Iris, a theatre for the visually impaired, was premiered at the “Silence/Darkness” exhibition curated by Anneli Porri at Tallinn Art Hall in August 2016.

Credits:

Performers:
Joose Ojala
Marianne Tenhami
Riikka Hänninen
Markus Tihumäki
Anniina Latikka
Jari Gusev
Aira Timlin
Jaana Kokko

Camera:
Jarkko Virtanen

Writer, Editor, Director, Producer:
Jaana Kokko

Imaginary Folk Music Improvised by:
Riikka Hänninen, Joose Ojala

Sound Design:
Samy Kramer

Location Sound:
Joonatan Hietanen

Additional Sound Recordings:
Samy Kramer
Jaana Kokko

Color Grading:
Jaakko Rinne

Images scanned and printed by:
Petri Kuokka/ Aarnipaja

Model of the Elephant and Coulisse Painting:
Jaana Kokko

Model of the Engel Theatre:
Theatremuseum, Helsinki/ Onni Orsmaa

Coulisse of the Engel Theatre:
Theatremuseum, Helsinki/ Seppo Salminen

Fredrik Pacius Model Theatre:
Svenska Litteratur Sällskapet / Helsinki City Museum

Plastic Dress:
Jaana Kokko, Leena Pukki

English Translation:
Tallinn Kunstihoone

Financial Support:
Kone Foundation
Avek – Elena Näsänen

Many Thanks to:

Anu Aaltonen +
Visually impaired theatre

Satu Palokangas
Joonas Salusjärvi
Hanna Haaslahti
Ulrika Ferm
Lena ja Iris Séraphin
Teemu Mäki
Kalle Lampela
Riikka Pelo
Kari Nissinen/ Aalto Arts

Special Thanks to:
Anneli Porri, Tallinn Art Hall