''Hiljaisuus'' (

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

transl. ''Silence'') is a 2011

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

war

docudrama Docudrama (or documentary drama) is a genre of television and film, which features dramatized re-enactments of actual events. It is described as a hybrid of documentary and drama and "a fact-based representation of real event". Docudramas typic ...

film directed by Sakari Kirjavainen and set in winter and spring 1944, near the end of the

Continuation War The Continuation War, also known as the Second Soviet-Finnish War, was a conflict fought by Finland and Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1944, as part of World War II.; sv, fortsättningskriget; german: Fortsetzungskrieg. A ...

Plot

Starring Finnish actors Joonas Saartamo,

Joanna Haartti Joanna Haartti (born 14 April 1979) is a Finnish actress. She is best known for her theatrical work, but has also appeared in several films and on television. Overview Haartti graduated from a theatrical Masters program at the Helsinki Theatre A ...

Lauri Tilkanen Lauri Tilkanen (born 6 November 1987) is a Finnish actor. He has appeared on television and in films such as ''Skavabölen pojat'' (2009), '' Paha perhe'' (2010), '' Hiljaisuus'' (2011), '' Härmä'' (2012) and ''Juoppohullun päiväkirja'' (2012). ...

, Terhi Suorlahti, Ilkka Heiskanen, Sinikka Mokkila and Kari Hakala, the film details the life and times of the members of a specialized Finnish army unit, commanded by a priest, whose difficult and dangerous assignment is to recover dead soldiers from the front lines, prepare their often frozen bodies for burial, and deliver them to their hometowns and families for funeral and burial. The film covers the daily lives, romances, and intrigues of the soldiers and their civilian female helpers attached to the unit, including the extreme dangers connected with their jobs. Near the end of the film, the unit's field morgue is about to be overrun; and the soldiers must take quick action to save their own lives and evacuate the growing collection of dead soldiers the unit are preparing for their final resting places.

Reviews

Tuomas Riskala writes in ''Iltalehti'', "Lauri Tilkanen and Joonas Saartamo do an impressive job in the lead roles" and "Director Sakari Kirjavainen and screenwriter Esko Salervo have created an intimate depiction of the war and the state of mind between life and death..." Outi Heiskanen of ''Skenet'' opines, "The actors deserve all possible superlatives" and "Few films manage to create so strong and touching an atmosphere without falling victim to melodramatic excesses."

Awards

The film was nominated for seven 2012

Jussi Award The Jussi Awards are Finland's premier film industry prizes, awarded annually to recognize the achievements of directors, actors, and writers. History The first Jussi Awards ceremony was held on 16 November 1944 at the Restaurant Adlon in Hels ...

s, Finland's premier motion picture accolade; and won four: Joonas Saartamo, Paras miespääosa (Best Actor); Ilkka Heiskanen, Paras miessivuosa (Best Supporting Actor); Olli Huhtanen and Pietari Koskinen, Paras äänisuunnittelu (Best Sound Design); and Timo Hietala, Paras musiikki (Best Music).

References

External links

* * {{Elonet title, 1515505 2011 war drama films 2011 films Continuation War Films set in 1944 Films shot in Finland Finnish war drama films 2010s Finnish-language films 2011 drama films Finnish World War II films