Tulennielijä (1998)

Director:

Pirjo Honkasalo

Writer:

Pirkko Saisio (writer)

Release Date:

30 October 1998 (Finland)

Plot:

The twin sisters Helena and Irene are born in Helsinki during World War II. A few months later their mother...

Plot Keywords:

1950s | 1960s | Circus | Fire | Orphan

Awards:

12 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Elina Hurme	...	Helena
Tiina Weckström	...	Mother
Elena Leeve	...	Helena 14 Years
Elsa Saisio	...	Irene 14 Years
Vappu Jurkka	...	Grandmother
Jordi Borrell	...	Ramon
Sari Havukainen	...	Helena 8 Years
Inka Vogt	...	Irene 8 Years
Unna Kitti	...	Girl
Per Ragnar	...	Circus Director
Jani Volanen	...	Clown
Sulevi Peltola	...	Arvo
Tõnu Kark	...	Russian Officer
Kristo Salminen	...	Heinz
Eeva-Maija Haukinen	...	Godmother #1
Raija Paalanen	...	Godmother #2
Rea Mauranen	...	Orphanage Manageress
Vieno Saaristo	...	Attendant in Sauna
Anna-Leena Mäki-Penttilä	...	Nurse
Rauha Puntti	...	Nurse
Göran Schauman	...	Priest
Hannu Hartikainen	...	Girl's Father
Rainer Kaunisto	...	Man from Tyrol
Jarmo Hyttinen	...	Man in Pub (as Jami Hyttinen)
Alexandre Zilberman	...	Russian Soldier
Istvan Galfi	...	Revolutionary
Kristóf Lukácsfy	...	Doctor
Hannele Röhr	...	Bowling Girl
Esko Nevapuro	...	Repossession Man#1
Juhani Heikkinen	...	Repossession Man#2
Kari Rissanen	...	Repossession Man #3
Lidia Usvalahti	...	Train Servant
Armi Parkkinen	...	Train Servant
Sesam Tsokkinen	...	Helena 2 Months
Kaisla Puurtinen	...	Irene 2 Months

Directed by
Pirjo Honkasalo

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Pirkko Saisio		writer

Produced by
Ilkka Matila	....	associate producer
Marko Röhr	....	producer

Original Music by
Richard Einhorn

Cinematography by
Kjell Lagerroos

Film Editing by
Michal Leszczylowski
Bernhard Winkler

Art Direction by
Tiina Makkonen

Costume Design by
Arja Könönen
Auli Turtiainen-Kinnunen		(as Auli Turtiainen)

Makeup Department
Riikka Virtanen	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Matti Halonen	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Terhi Tammila	....	assistant director

Art Department
Matti Huttunen	....	set builder
Anne Juntunen	....	assistant props
Timo Jyllikoski	....	property master
Arvi Koljonen	....	chief carpenter
Jussi Kuittinen	....	painter
Tiina Makkonen	....	set designer
Sirje Ruohtula	....	painter
Tapio Schultz	....	assistant set designer
Lauri Sillantie	....	painter
Markus Tschokkinen	....	painter (as Markus Tsokkinen)
Kristiina Tuura	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Pekka Karjalainen	....	sound designer
Laura Kuivalainen	....	assistant sound editor
Kauko Lindfors	....	sound designer
Santtu Sierilä	....	assistant sound editor
Seppo Vanhatalo	....	sound designer
Ossi Viskari	....	boom operator

Stunts
Pauliina Räsänen	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Flinckenberg	....	lighting technician
Manu Haapala	....	lighting technician
Eero Haapaniemi	....	assistant electrician
Marja-Leena Hukkanen	....	still photographer (as Marja-Liisa Hukkanen)
Mauri Koski	....	assistant electrician
Harri Naarajärvi	....	key grip
Yrjö Nieminen	....	assistant electrician
Teemu Nikki	....	second assistant camera
Raimo Paananen	....	first assistant camera
Ville Penttilä	....	gaffer
Konsta Sohlberg	....	assistant electrician
Kaj Troberg	....	assistant electrician (as Kai Troberg)

Transportation Department
Risto Höylä	....	period vehicles

Other crew
Marja-Leena Hukkanen	....	script supervisor (as Marja-Liisa Hukkanen)
Tiina Niiranen	....	production coordinator
Jan-Eric Nyström	....	titles
Sirkka Rautiainen	....	location manager

Production Companies

• Marko Röhr Productions
• SVT Drama

Distributors

• Finnkino (1999) (Finland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Kikeono Filmsound Oy  sound

Also Known As:

Fire-Eater (Canada: English title)

Runtime:

100 min | Argentina:100 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival)

Country:

Finland | Sweden

Language:

Finnish | German | Russian | Spanish

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

Finland:K-8 | Sweden:11 | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Helsinki, Finland

Company:

Marko Röhr Productions

a great experience

This is definitely one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. It feels like everything is just right in this film, acting, photography and directing are all great. While watching it I felt that I could just sit in the movie theathre and watch it for days, the pictures followed one another so naturally... hard to explain! It`s probably easy to notice that I really love this film and can recommend it to everyone. But still, I am not sure if I want to see "Tulennielijä" again because watching it was such a marvellous experience that I`m a bit afraid that it would be spoiled-especially if I had to watch it from a tiny TV-screen.