Dream of Karelia

A documentary of sovietization in the postwar Karelia

After the truce in autumn of 1944 Finns in Karelia were evacuated and they were replaced with Russians. Some came voluntarily thanks to free houses and tax reductions; others were forced to move there. By night many were afraid of that Finns will take revenge the loss of their possessions.

The documentary ”Dream of Karelia” tells the story of Russian reconstruction of Karelian farming and industry from the point of view of individual people. How did the new inhabitants of Karelia experience environment and the traces of Finnish culture? The new inhabitants were evacuees that came from a completely different culture and surroundings.

The film is exceptional because the story of sovietization of Finnish areas in Karelia has not been told earlier. The film was produced by Illume Oy and it was directed by K. J. Koski. The script was written in co-operation with researchers in history at Joensuu University as a result of HITTI-documentary film script project.

KJ Koski

Born 15.2.1946 Helsinki Married, 3 children

KJ Koski has worked in more than twenty feature films, 60 shorts and documentaries and countless commercials since 1968. A journalist at the BBC in mid-seventies.Teaching at the Film School 1980-1990. Started making his own films in 1985 both documentaries and short fiction. Prize for the Best Short Film of the Year in 1987. Also several State Awards for Quality. A commissioning editor for shorts and documentaries 93-94. At the moment working as a free-lance director and producer. The latest documentary "Our KGB Pets", A story of the KGB agents in Finland for Yle TV-2.

Education:

MA, scriptwriting, University of Industrial Arts, Dept. of Film & TV, Helsinki, 1966-71, Theatre Academy 1996-97, University of Tampere, Mass communication, Radio & TV 1972-75.

Professional Courses:

Film Workshops, Rockport, 1999, "Directing Actors", Weston, 1998, "Dramatic Writing" Theatre Academy, Helsinki, 1996-97, "To Move the Script", Copenhagen 1995, APRS Studio Engineers Course, University of Surrey, England 1987