''Family Time'' ( fi, Mummola) is a 2023

comedy-drama Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...

film written and directed by Tia Kouvo in her feature directorial debut. Starring

Leena Uotila Leena Uotila (born 16 June 1947) is a Finnish actress. She has appeared in more than one hundred films since 1971. Early life On June 16, 1947, Uotila was born as Leena Marjatta Uotila in Helsinki, Finland. Career Filmography Film ...

, Ria Kataja,

Elina Knihtilä Mari Elina Knihtilä (born 6 June 1971) is a Finnish actress. Career Knihtilä has worked for several Finnish theatres, such as the Finnish National Theatre and Q-teatteri, while also having appeared in films and on television. She has received ...

and Tom Wentzel, the film follows an annual family Christmas get-together that sees the usual tensions rise. It's based on Kouvo's s 2018 short of the same name. The film had its world premiere in the Encounters section of the

73rd Berlin International Film Festival The 73rd annual Berlin International Film Festival, usually called the Berlinale (), took place from 16 to 26 February 2023. It was the first completely in-person Berlinale since the 70th in 2020. The festival has added a new award for best te ...

on 20 February 2023.

Cast

* Ria Kataja as Susanna *

as Helena *

as Ella * Tom Wentzel as Lasse * Jarkko Pajunen as Risto * Sakari Topi as Simo * Elli Paajanen as Hilla * Toomas Talikka as Kassu

Production

It was reported on 15 September 2021, that Aamu Film Company is going to produce the film, which is going in production in February and March 2022. Produced by Jussi Rantamäki and Emilia Haukka, the cast includes

and Ria Kataja. Aamu Film is producing the film in co-production with Sweden-based Vilda Bomben Film and Film i Väst. Tom Wentzel, Jarkko Pajunen, Elli Paajanen and Toomas Talikka were selected as supporting cast.

Release

''Family Time'' had its world premiere in the Encounters section of the

on 20 February 2023. Aurora Studios is in charge of Finland distribution, whereas The Match Factory is handling world sales for the film.

Reception

Fionnuala Halligan of ''

Screen Daily ''Screen International'' is a British film magazine covering the international film business. It is published by Media Business Insight, a British B2B media company. The magazine is primarily aimed at those involved in the global film business. ...

'' wrote that the film "makes very interesting choices around a fairly conventional structure", concluding, "It's a trope to compare every Finnish director to

Aki Kaurismäki Aki Olavi Kaurismäki (; born 4 April 1957) is a Finnish film director and screenwriter. He is best known for the award-winning '' Drifting Clouds'' (1996), ''The Man Without a Past'' (2002), ''Le Havre'' (2011) and ''The Other Side of Hope'' (20 ...

, but there is that same deadpan air to ''Family Time'' – and a distinctive style that indicates a young director feeling her way to an interesting future." Meredith Taylor of Filmuforia wrote: "Family Time is a mature and memorable debut, Kouvo channelling Bergman, in his obsession to sweat the small stuff. Certainly a name to remember for the future."

Accolades

References

External links

* * {{IMDb title
''Family Time''
at Berlinale 2023 films 2023 comedy-drama films 2023 directorial debut films 2020s Finnish-language films 2020s Swedish films Finnish comedy-drama films Swedish comedy-drama films