Peter von Bagh

Acclaimed Finnish director Rauni Mollberg made several scandalous yet widely appreciated films. Former co-worker Veikko Aaltonen’s eye-opening documentary The Dinosaur looks at the relentless, often disturbing directing techniques behind Mollberg’s art and success.

THE OTHER SIDE OF HOPE is dedicated to filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki’s longtime friend and collaborator, the film critic and festival programmer Peter von Bagh. In this new video essay, filmmaker Daniel Raim explores Kaurismäki’s oeuvre through the world of von Bagh.

The story of Agit Prop, communist band established in 1970.

Helsinki. El joven Khaled llega oculto en un barco de carga procedente de Siria. Su solicitud de asilo es rechazada, pero decide quedarse de todos modos. Mientras, un gris comercial cincuentón llamado Wikström decide cambiar su vida y abrir un decadente restaurante. Sus caminos se cruzarán cuando una tarde Wikhström se encuentra a Khaled en la puerta de su restaurante y, emocionado, decide ofrecerle techo, comida y trabajo. Pero el sueño del chico es encontrar a su hermana, que también huyó de Siria.

Piirainen's documentary on the last years of Peter von Bagh.

Documentary about Finnish film theaters - about their past, disappearance and future. And at the same time universal story how cinema is undeniably connected with life.

Socialism, the 20th century's greatest dream and source of some of its darkest nightmares. Divided into eighteen chapters which all begin with quotes from left-wing thinkers and writers, Socialism embarks on a chronological journey through 20th century film and social history, starting with images from Louis Lumière's Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory (1895), followed among others by Chaplin's comedy Work (1915), Roberto Rosselini's Rome, Open City (1945) and Pier Paolo Pasolini's The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964).

Peter von Bagh takes us on a trip to his homeland and Oulu, a small Finnish town, tracing the turbulent changes it has undergone in the 20th century. A life of the filmmaker, a history of his home and a history of cinema intersect in this magical film that works like a time machine. (text: International FIlm Festival Rotterdam

Peter von Bagh takes us on a trip to his homeland and Oulu, a small Finnish town, tracing the turbulent changes it has undergone in the 20th century. A life of the filmmaker, a history of his home and a history of cinema intersect in this magical film that works like a time machine. (text: International FIlm Festival Rotterdam

After being struggling to finish his ninth book, an irrelevant author decides to try change his methods.

This short document tells the story of Bank of Finland and the history of money in Finland.

This short document tells the story of Bank of Finland and the history of money in Finland.

An anthology of one-minute films created by 60 international filmmakers on the theme of the death of cinema. Intended as an ode to 35mm, the film was screened one time only on a purpose-built 20x12 meter public cinema screen in the Port of Tallinn, Estonia, on 22 December 2011. A special projector was constructed for the event which allowed the actual filmstrip to be burnt at the same time as the film was shown.

Peter von Bagh's documentary about Juhani Aho and people around him.

Peter von Bagh's documentary about Juhani Aho and people around him.

A bitter and moving portrait of a genius as a troubled human being trying his best to find a way through life. A documentary about a too-little-known master of world cinema Mikko Niskanen (1929-1990); an epic sketch of the typical 20th century person’s struggles and doubts. Peter von Bagh, ‘a Renaissance man’ and sensitive film adventurer, was the only person to peer inside the soul of this director and his works with great intensity and ardour.

The Midnight Sun Film Festival is held every June in the Finnish village of Sodankylä beyond the arctic circle — where the sun never sets. Founded by Aki and Mika Kaurismäki along with Anssi Mänttäri and Peter von Bagh in 1985, the festival has played host to an international who’s who of directors and each day begins with a two-hour discussion. To mark the festival’s silver anniversary, festival director Peter von Bagh edited together highlights from these dialogues to create an epic four-part choral history of cinema drawn from the anecdotes, insights, and wisdom of his all-star cast: Coppola, Fuller, Forman, Chabrol, Corman, Demy, Kieslowski, Kiarostami, Varda, Oliveira, Erice, Rouch, Gilliam, Jancso — and 64 more. Ranging across innumerable topics (war, censorship, movie stars, formative influences, America, neorealism) these voices, many now passed away, engage in a personal dialogue across the years that’s by turns charming, profound, hilarious and moving.

The Midnight Sun Film Festival is held every June in the Finnish village of Sodankylä beyond the arctic circle — where the sun never sets. Founded by Aki and Mika Kaurismäki along with Anssi Mänttäri and Peter von Bagh in 1985, the festival has played host to an international who’s who of directors and each day begins with a two-hour discussion. To mark the festival’s silver anniversary, festival director Peter von Bagh edited together highlights from these dialogues to create an epic four-part choral history of cinema drawn from the anecdotes, insights, and wisdom of his all-star cast: Coppola, Fuller, Forman, Chabrol, Corman, Demy, Kieslowski, Kiarostami, Varda, Oliveira, Erice, Rouch, Gilliam, Jancso — and 64 more. Ranging across innumerable topics (war, censorship, movie stars, formative influences, America, neorealism) these voices, many now passed away, engage in a personal dialogue across the years that’s by turns charming, profound, hilarious and moving.

Helsinki, Forever is a montage film about the city of Helsinki by the award-winning Finnish film director and academic Peter von Bagh. The film draws a portrait of Helsinki and also acts as an essay on Finnish culture in a wider sense. It shows Helsinki as captured by leading Finnish feature film and documentary makers over a period of one hundred years.

Helsinki, Forever is a montage film about the city of Helsinki by the award-winning Finnish film director and academic Peter von Bagh. The film draws a portrait of Helsinki and also acts as an essay on Finnish culture in a wider sense. It shows Helsinki as captured by leading Finnish feature film and documentary makers over a period of one hundred years.

Helsinki, Forever is a montage film about the city of Helsinki by the award-winning Finnish film director and academic Peter von Bagh. The film draws a portrait of Helsinki and also acts as an essay on Finnish culture in a wider sense. It shows Helsinki as captured by leading Finnish feature film and documentary makers over a period of one hundred years.

Un hombre que ha perdido completamente la memoria debe reiniciar su vida en una zona marginal, junto a seres humanos apartados de la sociedad.

Renowned filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki, creator of The Man Without a Past (Grand Prix du Jury, 2002 Cannes Film Festival) and acclaimed films such as Ariel, Leningrad Cowboys Go America, and Drifting Clouds, is the subject of AKI KAURISMÄKI, the latest release from the Cinema, of Our Time series. The younger member of Finland's most prolific and irreverent filmmaking team, Kaurismäki, together with older brother Mika, virtually invented "The New Finnish Cinema." Since 1981, Kaurismäki has made twenty-two films, many of which are excerpted in this documentary.

A farmer's wife is seduced into running away from her stolid older husband by a city slicker, who enslaves her in a brothel.

Historia de un matrimonio (Ilona y Lauri) cuya relación y dignidad son puestas a prueba por los duros golpes de la vida. La pareja no suele correr riesgos y vive en un modesto apartamento de alquiler. Pero Ilona (Kati Outinen) pierde su empleo como camarera en el restaurante Dubrovnik, en Helsinki. Por si esto fuera poco, acaba enterándose de que Lauri (Kari Väänänen) ya hace un mes que ha sido despedido de su trabajo como conductor de tranvía.

Un hombre gris y sin ganas de vivir contrata a un asesino a sueldo para que acabe con su vida, pues él carece de valor para hacerlo. Pero, inesperadamente, conoce a una mujer y cambia de idea: quiere seguir viviendo. El problema consiste en que debe encontrar al asesino que ha contratado antes de que éste ejecute su macabro encargo.

In a world of cold facts, this film speaking in more than 20 languages offers a vision of a world momentarily united and willing to listen to the human voice.

Paavo Nurmi (1897–1973) was one of the greatest athletes ever, and he had the wins to show it. For some time, his name was synonymous with speed, endurance and grace – if you did something the way Nurmi ran, you did good. But Nurmi's story had its more depressing side: He was accused of violating his amateur status. He died in disgrace, if fondly remembered. PAAVO NURMI – THE MAN AND HIS TIMES is not so much a portrait of the runner as a vision of his time(s): Here, Nurmi is an icon, an epitome. More than most other works by von Bagh, this one has a strident rigor to it, a focused sense of ritual that fits the subject perfectly.

A psychotherapist's life is wrecked when her private life is exposed in a sensation magazine.

Portrait of a national icon: iskelmä or popular schlager legend Olavi Virta (1915–1972), as an old, lost and lonely man. When the film was screened for the first time, people all over Finland went ballistic – they couldn't take the sad sight of their tango's greatest voice, the incarnation of postwar wealth and glory in ruins.

Portrait of a national icon: iskelmä or popular schlager legend Olavi Virta (1915–1972), as an old, lost and lonely man. When the film was screened for the first time, people all over Finland went ballistic – they couldn't take the sad sight of their tango's greatest voice, the incarnation of postwar wealth and glory in ruins.

Portrait of a national icon: iskelmä or popular schlager legend Olavi Virta (1915–1972), as an old, lost and lonely man. When the film was screened for the first time, people all over Finland went ballistic – they couldn't take the sad sight of their tango's greatest voice, the incarnation of postwar wealth and glory in ruins.

Pertti Ylermi Lindgren (b. 1936) was engaged to 76 women, married none, but took the money of all. Lindgren is the real thing, as far as swindlers go. Peter von Bagh asked him to play himself in a film that would reconstruct some of his greatest moments, i.e. the most flamboyant «stunts» – and he agreed! So, marvel at Lindgren playing Lindgren, and study, on the film's second narrative string, how he's trying to get by, dancing and being charming through the summer of 1970, in dance-halls and pavilions.

Pertti Ylermi Lindgren (b. 1936) was engaged to 76 women, married none, but took the money of all. Lindgren is the real thing, as far as swindlers go. Peter von Bagh asked him to play himself in a film that would reconstruct some of his greatest moments, i.e. the most flamboyant «stunts» – and he agreed! So, marvel at Lindgren playing Lindgren, and study, on the film's second narrative string, how he's trying to get by, dancing and being charming through the summer of 1970, in dance-halls and pavilions.

Pertti Ylermi Lindgren (b. 1936) was engaged to 76 women, married none, but took the money of all. Lindgren is the real thing, as far as swindlers go. Peter von Bagh asked him to play himself in a film that would reconstruct some of his greatest moments, i.e. the most flamboyant «stunts» – and he agreed! So, marvel at Lindgren playing Lindgren, and study, on the film's second narrative string, how he's trying to get by, dancing and being charming through the summer of 1970, in dance-halls and pavilions.

Pertti Ylermi Lindgren (b. 1936) was engaged to 76 women, married none, but took the money of all. Lindgren is the real thing, as far as swindlers go. Peter von Bagh asked him to play himself in a film that would reconstruct some of his greatest moments, i.e. the most flamboyant «stunts» – and he agreed! So, marvel at Lindgren playing Lindgren, and study, on the film's second narrative string, how he's trying to get by, dancing and being charming through the summer of 1970, in dance-halls and pavilions.

Two men and a woman, all rallye drivers, get too closely involved, competing in the race and in love.

Young photography model Susanna and her alienated teenage brother Veli spend the summer of 1969 travelling around Finland, mostly with another girl and her boyfriend. Sporting the latest fashions and trendy hairdos, they naïvely observe and criticise the modern consumer society, advertising, fancy boats and summer cottages, country dances, barbecues, and any other phenomena that were supposed to bother angry young intellectuals in those days. The plot and the political agenda are delivered with a cheerful, tongue-in-cheek mixture of documentary observations, fake TV commercials, fake interviews, philosophical voiceovers and titles, and a jazzy soundtrack by the progressive rock group Wigwam.

An Italian mondo documentary about Finland. Among other things, it showcases intricacies of local mating culture, sports, Midsummer festivities and sauna.

In the year 2011, historian Raimo Lappalainen wants to illustrate how life was 50 years earlier. He becomes obsessed with the fate of a 1970s nude model, Saara Turunen, and finds a perfect actress to reconstruct her life and death in front of a TV camera. Meanwhile, a strike at a nuclear plant is covered up by the media. Written by Markku Kuoppamäki

Recollections of a Helsinki Bourgeois

Recollections of a Helsinki Bourgeois

Recollections of a Helsinki Bourgeois

Documentary about Finnish civil war