The Saimaa Gesture

Lake Saimaa and its shores have always provided essential surroundings for Finnish music. The lake once linked in decades of national memory with Ville Salminen's musical film Kaunis Veera ("Beautiful Vera") was updated in the beginning of the eighties to a new musical era in The Saimaa Gesture by brothers Kaurismäki. The film tracks three revolutionary Finnish rock bands (Juice Leskinen Slam, Hassisen kone, and Eppu Normaali) as they sail through the national romantic lake landscape where summer and Finnish rock blossom at their most beautiful. The Saimaa Gesture is a definitive Finnish rock film in which music is given the central role as the piece captures these classic lineups in their prime. As far as musical style is concerned, the groups balance each other out in successful harmony. Eppu Normaali's boisterous punk rock energy acts as a counterweight to Ismo Alanko's angst-ridden and socially critical lyrics that Hassisen kone shoot into the summer night. Juice Leskinen's person is the embodiment of Finnish rock music, as he plays some of the biggest hits from his massive catalogue. The interviews and clips from the tour boat between the songs open the door to the musicians' quirky sense of humour as well as their inspiration behind touring, thus painting a complete picture of vagabond artist life. (TET) (Midnight Sun Film Festival)