Matti Ijäs

Merry Christmas is a comical interpretation of the traditional Christmas gospel set in a modern-day Helsinki

Merry Christmas is a comical interpretation of the traditional Christmas gospel set in a modern-day Helsinki

An asphalt contractor, who has sacrificed his life to make a profit, finds himself in a financial dead-end. The ever gentle-minded road engineer Rauno Kannisto is hired to the construction site, to build a road that cuts through the vast forests by the Russian border. He knows nothing of the financial difficulties. Soon, Rauno finds himself in a situation where he doesn't know which way to turn. The sub-contractor becomes the main contractor, workers are loaded in containers from the other side of the border, and the contractor's wife has a smile that makes you lose your sleep. Middle of the Road is a dark comedy about loyalty and greed.

An asphalt contractor, who has sacrificed his life to make a profit, finds himself in a financial dead-end. The ever gentle-minded road engineer Rauno Kannisto is hired to the construction site, to build a road that cuts through the vast forests by the Russian border. He knows nothing of the financial difficulties. Soon, Rauno finds himself in a situation where he doesn't know which way to turn. The sub-contractor becomes the main contractor, workers are loaded in containers from the other side of the border, and the contractor's wife has a smile that makes you lose your sleep. Middle of the Road is a dark comedy about loyalty and greed.

Vaarala, a reserved romantic photographer, has an odd artistic vision of loneliness: he takes serial photos of an empty park bench in remote spaces of nature. When he meets and falls in love with the spirited, unruly Ansa, his ‘bench’ is suddenly filled. But in order to be with her he has to not only overcome his own frailties, but also the impending danger of Ansa’s volatile ex-con ex, and then Ansa herself, a woman prone to impulsiveness and impetuousness.

Vaarala, a reserved romantic photographer, has an odd artistic vision of loneliness: he takes serial photos of an empty park bench in remote spaces of nature. When he meets and falls in love with the spirited, unruly Ansa, his ‘bench’ is suddenly filled. But in order to be with her he has to not only overcome his own frailties, but also the impending danger of Ansa’s volatile ex-con ex, and then Ansa herself, a woman prone to impulsiveness and impetuousness.

Documentary about the life of Finnish actor Matti Pellonpää.

Fred Daly returns to Ireland with nowhere to live but his car. Then dope-smoking 21-year-old Cathal parks beside him, and brightens up his lonely world. Encouraged by Cathal, Fred meets attractive music teacher Jules. Growing closer, these three outsiders are set on a course that will change their lives forever.

Dreams perimeter Matti Ijäksen has written and directed, praised to the skies domestic film, which is in addition to starring always convincing trace Knocking Petteri Summanen and Sulevi Peltola. It is therefore goes without saying that expectations were high in its case. But how it happened? Dreams own peripheral clearly some form of casing, which does not let therein, but hits the deck of the cut made without the kehääkin - Joint events yhteenparsimisen means.

Dreams perimeter Matti Ijäksen has written and directed, praised to the skies domestic film, which is in addition to starring always convincing trace Knocking Petteri Summanen and Sulevi Peltola. It is therefore goes without saying that expectations were high in its case. But how it happened? Dreams own peripheral clearly some form of casing, which does not let therein, but hits the deck of the cut made without the kehääkin - Joint events yhteenparsimisen means.

Middle-aged Late is building a fence in his family home for a summer break, but he falls in love with his daughter's new friend, 16-year old flirtatious Saija.

Two 9-year-old boys, Jontti and Länki, grow up in a Finnish seaside town in the 1960s. Länki's biggest dream is to run away on a ship to the sea where his father is rumoured to have died. Jontti too must discover that his father is not what he appears to be. When his dad moves away with another woman, Jontti is determined to win him back.

Two 9-year-old boys, Jontti and Länki, grow up in a Finnish seaside town in the 1960s. Länki's biggest dream is to run away on a ship to the sea where his father is rumoured to have died. Jontti too must discover that his father is not what he appears to be. When his dad moves away with another woman, Jontti is determined to win him back.

Half-senile Ossi and his wife travel to celebrate Ossi's 75th birthday at an old people's home where most of their friends are already staying. Just before the festivities Ossi suddenly disappears and goes on tour to 'make an inventory of his life'. He checks into a hotel, poses as a publishing director to lure an aspiring female novelist, next travels to bother his old mistress and her new husband with his surprise visit and obnoxious comments, then goes to see his son for the first time in 34 years just to receive an even colder treatment. Meanwhile, his equally demented wife goes looking for him with a local policeman.

A middle-aged woman wants a child and starts to look for a suitable father when she doesn't succeed in the plan with her husband.

A middle-aged woman wants a child and starts to look for a suitable father when she doesn't succeed in the plan with her husband.

When Marja becomes pregnant as a result of an unauthorized relationship, the man denies the whole relationship. A pregnant young woman is left alone. Marja ends up with an illegal abortion when there are only bad options ahead.

The relationship between a priest's wife and the renovator crackles with passion. While the rectory terrace is being restored, there is a triangular drama at the fore: a priest, a priest’s wife and a renovator.

The relationship between a priest's wife and the renovator crackles with passion. While the rectory terrace is being restored, there is a triangular drama at the fore: a priest, a priest’s wife and a renovator.

Manical portrait of a small businessman.

Like it or not, almost anyone who has met a really serious poet finds that they have something about them which sets them apart from other people. It's not just a romantic legend. In wry but basically directionless Finnish movie, Paavo Pentikainen plays one of these ungainly beings, a man whose last published work is decades in the past, who probably hasn't written anything in years, but who still has an uncanny knack for precise observation, "pinning the tail on the donkey" almost every time. In the movie, the poet, accompanied by his young assistant, takes a minor celebrity's swaggering tour of small cultural centers and retirement homes.

Like it or not, almost anyone who has met a really serious poet finds that they have something about them which sets them apart from other people. It's not just a romantic legend. In wry but basically directionless Finnish movie, Paavo Pentikainen plays one of these ungainly beings, a man whose last published work is decades in the past, who probably hasn't written anything in years, but who still has an uncanny knack for precise observation, "pinning the tail on the donkey" almost every time. In the movie, the poet, accompanied by his young assistant, takes a minor celebrity's swaggering tour of small cultural centers and retirement homes.

Directed by Matti Ijäs and written with Arto Meller, Räpsy & Dolly aka Paris Waits (1990) is a tragicomic love story of a petty criminal and a former cabaret dancer. Detective Karisto (Kari Väänänen) releases Auno "Räpsy" Pirilä (Matti Pellonpää) from prison, who in turn has to calve his childhood friend Börje (Pertti Sveholm) from criminal activities. Alcoholic Dolly (Raija Paalanen) takes Räpsy to live in Kallio, Helsinki, and hopes to move to Paris with her in the spring.

Directed by Matti Ijäs and written with Arto Meller, Räpsy & Dolly aka Paris Waits (1990) is a tragicomic love story of a petty criminal and a former cabaret dancer. Detective Karisto (Kari Väänänen) releases Auno "Räpsy" Pirilä (Matti Pellonpää) from prison, who in turn has to calve his childhood friend Börje (Pertti Sveholm) from criminal activities. Alcoholic Dolly (Raija Paalanen) takes Räpsy to live in Kallio, Helsinki, and hopes to move to Paris with her in the spring.

Viltteri, a balding guy in his thirties living in rural northern Finland, is hopelessly clueless about his new role as a married man and the father of a newborn son. A perfect escape from family responsibilities is having to get his old Hillman Minx repaired and inspected for road-worthiness, with a little help from an eccentric bunch of friends who never seem to have grown up either.

Viltteri, a balding guy in his thirties living in rural northern Finland, is hopelessly clueless about his new role as a married man and the father of a newborn son. A perfect escape from family responsibilities is having to get his old Hillman Minx repaired and inspected for road-worthiness, with a little help from an eccentric bunch of friends who never seem to have grown up either.

Hese, the shy owner of a video company, travels on a moped to film a commissioned Christmas party. From the steps of his office, Hese finds an anonymous Christmas present, a Hese slipover, and begins to find out who it is from.

An ageing wrestler and circus strongman is put in an institution located somewhere in a world of its own.

An ageing wrestler and circus strongman is put in an institution located somewhere in a world of its own.

Aspiring young comedian Hepi rides a moped and sleeps in cars left at a garage for repair. He joins a group of older but equally bad comedians trying to capture and sell their art on videotape. Hepi charms a girl working in the Zoological Museum with his imitations of bird sounds. Alienated look at the frustrations of show business, as presented by a cast of popular Finnish TV comedians with their absurd dialogue and eccentric inside jokes.

A group of three male friends with domestic problems behave badly.

Juuso, Late, and Pyry return from military service to their small village in the Finnish countryside. Finding work is difficult there, so Juuso decides to take a job on a Norwegian oil drilling platform. Late could start working on his family's chicken farm but wants to break free from his father who has a new wife. Looking for work in Gothenburg, Sweden, he only runs into more problems and is deported back to Finland. Pyry would like to take over his late father's farm but family quarrels over the estate make him quit his agricultural studies and, together with drifter Late, take a job in a steel mill in southern Finland.