Iiro Rantala

A People’s Radio – Ballads from a Wooded Country is a carnivalesque portrayal of the Finnish landscape of the soul and abode. The short film is based on the iconic YLE programme “People’s Radio”, and its visual material has been created by the road movie method of driving across summery Finland. The film paints a panorama of what Finland looks like today. Its narration progresses through humour into civic anarchy, ultimately also towards the longing for human connection.

A People’s Radio – Ballads from a Wooded Country is a carnivalesque portrayal of the Finnish landscape of the soul and abode. The short film is based on the iconic YLE programme “People’s Radio”, and its visual material has been created by the road movie method of driving across summery Finland. The film paints a panorama of what Finland looks like today. Its narration progresses through humour into civic anarchy, ultimately also towards the longing for human connection.

The boy is in the back of the car. The parents sit in the front and argue. Once again. The argument gets louder, more complicated. Until the boy can't take it anymore and leaves the car. While walking on a highway bridge he finds a stone. He looks down at the street with so many cars passing under him. Suddenly he sees a car in which something that seems all too familiar is happening. And what he just can't take anymore.

Serena Rapper gets a strange prediction: a genius has been born to her immediate family. When Serena finds a drawing Ricky has made, she is certain that Ricky is Vincent Van Gogh reborn. She decides to show Ricky's drawing to the intendant of the Art Museum. At the same time, a sketch of one of Van Gogh's paintings is found in Finland! This discovery starts an exciting chain of events, and in the end, the janitor of the Art Museum, a keen amateur detective, helps Ricky and Nelly to solve the mystery.

Ricky and Nelly decide to take part in arm wrestling competition during their summer holiday.

Ricky Rapper and Nelly Noodlehead leave for the island, where Fanny Rapper works as the resort hostess. At the same time, Uolevi Horsmaniemi arrives with his daughter Wendy, who is little older than Ricky and Nelly. Wendy's arrival confuses the relationship between Ricky and Nelly, as Nelly begins to spend more and more time with Wendy.

Ricky Rapper and Nelly Noodlehead leave for the island, where Fanny Rapper works as the resort hostess. At the same time, Uolevi Horsmaniemi arrives with his daughter Wendy, who is little older than Ricky and Nelly. Wendy's arrival confuses the relationship between Ricky and Nelly, as Nelly begins to spend more and more time with Wendy.

Summer vacation has just begun. In honor of it, Serena Rapper and Lennart Lindberg decide to go on holiday. Ricky gets a new bicycle as a consolation, but it disappears mysteriously. Ricky and Nelly Noodlehead go looking for it which turns into a thrilling adventure.

Ricky Rapper is a ten year old boy who lives with his aunt Serena and likes to play drums and rap. His aunt breaks her leg, leading to cousin Fanny moving in to take care of the household. Fanny is very strict and that means no more drums for Ricky. With the help of his downstair neighbor Nelly, Ricky seeks to restore the normal order to the apartment.

Ricky Rapper is a ten year old boy who lives with his aunt Serena and likes to play drums and rap. His aunt breaks her leg, leading to cousin Fanny moving in to take care of the household. Fanny is very strict and that means no more drums for Ricky. With the help of his downstair neighbor Nelly, Ricky seeks to restore the normal order to the apartment.

A fictitious biography of Aira Samulin, the goddess of dance and importer of all the international dance crazes to Finland for some fifty years. The life story of this extravagant ever-teen, well beyond the usual retirement age, is told inside a fictitious plot about a Master of Ceremonies trying to persuade Aira to stage a show at his cabaret restaurant. Besides Aira Samulin, many other Finnish celebrities appear among the eccentric lineup auditioning for the show, playing more or less their fictionalised selves.