Family Files

The tragic suicide of her second cousin Pekka urges director Mari Soppola to return to the village of Ruopsa in Lapland after many years, where her family leads a secluded life. She seizes the opportunity to search for her roots. Basing herself on letters, photographs, home movies and conversations with relatives and acquaintances, she reconstructs a history spanning four generations. It starts with her great-grandfather Oskari Soppola (1888-1963), who settles in Ruopsa. He builds the house 'Heimola', where nearly all of his descendants grow up. While reconstructing her grandmother Helvi's life, the director discovers the first indications of a tragic pattern that seems to repeat itself in each generation. Familie Files was initially set up as a CD-ROM. The film contains a.o. beautiful split-screen images of the imposing Finnish landscape.