Karelia is considered the cradle of Finnish culture and the Karelians who still live there amidst untouched forests are largely self-sufficient, living off their farms and nature. Sergei grew up in the tiny village of Venehjärvi, population 7, in Russian Karelia. For the old boat builder Sulo and his wife Valentina, life here is pleasant but for a young man the idyll also has its downside: there isn’t even one girl of his age in Venehjärvi. He only gets to meet girls in Vuokkiniemi, 25 kilometres away where he goes to school. Sergei must decide whether he wants to lead the frugal life of his forefathers or be an industrial worker in the iron ore mines of Kostomuksha. This documentary is a portrait of Sulo, the quick-witted boat builder, who always has a clever joke to tell, and of his son Sergei and his enthusiasm for fishing and hunting.
Karelia – Where Russians Speak Finnish
Foreign Cultures / Travel
- Title: Karelia – Where Russians Speak Finnish
- Original title: Karelien – Wo Russland finnisch spricht
- Film by: Petteri Saario, Juha Taskinen
- Format: 45', series
- Long running series: People-Places-Adventures
- Co-Production: NDR with Finnish Filmfoundation / YLE / Taiga Films
- Year of production: 2009
- Language / subtitle version: German
- Category:
Foreign Cultures / Travel
