This performance, which premiered in spring 2022, rewrites the history of Finnish film with a hilarious touch and also delves into the continuum of female roles in film history to present day. Classic actresses Ansa Ikonen suffering from the pay gap and Assi Nortia playing exotic birds feel so distant yet so familiar today.

But what if the archives of the Suomi-Filmi production company had classified files where everything was the opposite? The immortal words of Mrs Koskela, the heroine of the national epic that healed the war-torn nation, would be cited from delivery rooms to the parliament. People could not contain their laughter when watching Mrs Pirkko Puupää in a funny hat and the cheeky Miss Pätkä get in trouble.

Can a woman who wears glasses find a spouse? Why is it funny when the wife is aggressively waving a rolling pin around? Can the mother of a beloved film family be sexy? Suomifilmin Salaiset Kansiot ('The X-files of Finnish Film') showcases images of womanhood and women's roles that are still ingrained in our national subconscious as presented by the golden age of Finnish film. The performance is an attempt to zoom in on the structures that keep us from seeing ourselves and others clearly even today.

Performers: Pinja Hahtola and Mari Lehtonen
Written by: Pinja Hahtola and Mari Lehtonen
Directed by: Ria Kataja
Video and audio design: Esko Paavola
Lighting design: Janne Teivainen
Costume design: Elina Vättö
Choreographic support: Panu Varstala

Duration 2 h, including intermission

Suomifilmin Salaiset Kansiot – the search for the missing female role

The event “Suomifilmin Salaiset Kansiot – the search for the missing female role” has ended