Anni from Paanajärvi

Anni Popova lives in the village of Paanajärvi , by the River Kem, in Northwest Russia . Anni is a retired teacher and the spiritual leader of the village, its soul.

Paanajärvi is the only Karelian village in Viena that has preserved its original appearance. But it has been living under a threat for 50 years. During Stalin’s regime, plans were drawn up for building a power plant at the Valkeakoski rapids of the River Kem. The plan, had it been carried out, would have inundated vast areas, including the beautiful Paanajärvi village. After the collapse of the Soviet Union , also the power plant project was interrupted. Now, the village is being restored and revived. But the threat of inundation has not yet subsided.

Lasse Naukkarinen has documented life in the village, its resuscitation and restoration, for five years.

Lasse Naukkarinen

Filmography

Born 1942. Graduated from Department of Film and TV of the University of Arts and Design Helsinki in 1967. At the end of 60´s he worked as cinematographer and editor of feature length fiction films and documentaries. 1970 he started his own independent documentary film production. Professor of Art 1991-96.

Lasse Naukkarinen's first compilation films were openly political, even provocative (“Solidarity “,1970, “Diary of the Republic” ,1972).

On 80´s and at the beginning of 90´s he used the methods of the observational documentary in contrast to his first works ("No Comments",1984, "House of Full Service",1994, "Dog Trails",1995).

Later he has filmed connoisseurs of the art of living, the essence of the creativity, a creative madness and looked for the new forms to its narration ( "Madame E",1997, “Artist´s Life” ,1999, “Schoolboy´s Life”,2002 )

In his latest documentary he returns to his own past , to 60´s and 70´s as photographer, documentary film maker and contemporary (“ Once Upon A Time There Was A Utopia”, 2004).

As director

2004 ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS A UTOPIA (D), 90 min

2003 SORROW AND SECRET (D), 29 min

2002 MIINA ! POSTSCRIPT. (D), 10 min

2002 SCHOOLBOY’S LIFE (D), 58 min

2001 MIINA! (D), 90 min

2000 THE COUNTRY OF AINO AND KULLERVO (D), 59 min

1999 ARTIST´S LIFE (D), 59 / 30 min

1998 THE LAST SCHOOL DAY (D), 30 min

1997 MADAME E (D), 54 min

1996 ROSES FOR YOU (F), 4 min

1995 DOG TRAILS (D), 72 min

1995 ASTA´S SONS (D), 28 min

1994 HOUSE OF FULL SERVICE (D), 52 min

1992 POST CARD AND MIRROR (D), 90 min

1990 PORTRAIT OF A GARRISON (D), 47min

1990 THE FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL (D), 31 min

1990 UNTO M (D) , Part 1 55 min, Part 2 30 min

1989 THE UNFINISHED SAMPO (D), 30 min

1988 CATTLE ROAM (D), 28 min

1988 SOMEBODY TO DANCE WITH (F) , 5 min

1984-85 GENERATIONS OF MEMORIES (D) , 3 x 41 min
Part 1 Wind Over Kuitti
Part 2 Class Photograph
Part 3 From Village to City

1984 NO COMMENTS (D), 88 min

1982 NINETIETH SPRING (D), 51 min

1981 MEMORIES OF SINEBRYCHOFF PARK (D), 45 min

1979 WEDDING NIGHT FOR SALE (F), 51 min

1978-79 BRONZE I AND II (D), 52 min

1976 CATCH THE THIEF! (F), 30 min

1975 OUR BRIGADE (D), 48 min

1974 ANNO DOMINI (D), 48 min

1972 DIARY OF THE REPUBLIC (D), 35 min

1970 SOLIDARITY (D), 28 min

( D= DOCUMENTARY F= FICTION )