Posted by jukkahoo
Days keep on being packed
with labour, both at work and at home. Today I spent a great deal of time at
the archives of Helsinki City Treasury. As some of you might know, the Banking Hall of the City
Treasury is being rented out, as a cafe or restaurant or whatnot (as long as it is a respectable business and will offer a "meeting place for all members of the community to enjoy"), and this’ll mean some
serious carrying stuff from place A to place B. Like from the archives, where
at least five kilometers of paper and folders will have to find a new place to gather dust. (Of course, as these archives are properly maintained, there is luckily rather little dust around.)
And there I was, moving
stuff and packing boxes. When I got
home, we did some arranging here as well. We moved the Tiimari-book case from Taimistontie to the new
living room and then I organized the basement. Looking good that one, even if I say so myself.
All of this meant that when
everything was finally done, it was rather late and I was far too tired to go
to the mafia meeting. No news from there, then. I just flopped on the sofa and
plodded thru the channels to see whether there’s be something worthwhile to
watch. Nothing, except I’m Not Scared.
No, not the music video of Eight
Wonder, that barely adequate Patsy Kensit vehicle before… Emmerdale(?),
or even the Pet Shop Boys version (they of course penned
this only decent song Eight Wonder ever recorded – and BTW, those who own a record player and this single, try listening to it on 33 RPM!), but an Italian film from 2003 by Gabriele
(Mediterranio) Salvatores.
Io non ho paura is set in Southern Italy in the 1970’s and tells a
story of Michele, a 10-year-old boy, who discovers a wee lad of his own age
hidden in a hole in the ground near an abandoned farmhouse. Michele realises
soon, that his father is part of a kidnapping gang who are holding Filippo for
ransom, but at the same time are treating the boy with cruel abandonment. I’m
Not Scared is part coming-of-age story, part family story, with some faint
traces of magical realism (well, really faint) and foreboding doom.
I was certain the film had an unhappy ending and for a brief moment there
was a tangible possibility for a really classic 1970’s ending, but
(fortunately?) the story continued for a moment. Really good film, with strong
performances from the two youngsters.
Beautiful scenery: dry, sunny Mediterranean fields of golden wheat and clear
blue skies. There was also melodrama and evocative music, but as a whole, this
was a really good movie and I’m glad I had the chance to see it. Thanks YLE
Teema! Once again.
And happy Valentine’s Day, belatedly. Especially to you, dearest one!
Eating Muffins 