A new three-day film and music festival, Koffarin Kinofest, will kick off next week on Friday 15 August.
The event will open with a special concert when the internationally acclaimed soul singer Ina Forsman joins forces on stage with her producer and creative partner Michael Bleu. Together, Forsman and Bleu have written several songs for Forsman's latest album After Dark Hour, for example. Michael Bleu is also building a strong career in retro-soul, but performs in Finnish. At Koffarin Kinofest, Forsman and Bleu will perform with a four-piece band of Otto Porkkala on guitar, Juuso Lepistö on bass, Benjamin Nylund on drums and Samuli Rautiainen on keyboards.
Friday night will end with the film In the Mood for Love, a romantic drama classic from 2000, hailed as one of the most beautiful films in the world. In the Mood for Love is a drama about blossoming friendship and finding solace in someone close to you. This key work by master director Wong Kar-wai was awarded at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival, and has also received other awards.
On Saturday 16 August at 19:00, you can listen to a duo of jazz singer Anna Inginmaa and guitarist Pekka Laine. Inginmaa, famous for her intense interpretation of songs, is a versatile singer who has collaborated with names such as club music pioneer Jori Hulkkonen and rock icon Kauko Röyhkä. A man of cinematic and cosmic guitar sounds, Pekka Laine holds many roles in the Finnish music scene as a musician, composer, radio producer and documentarian.
Saturday continues with a concert by Finnish blues master Knucklebone Oscar, featuring the special guest Mariko from the band Kwan. The film of the evening is the recent music documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin.
Early in the evening on Sunday 17 August, the show will feature Emilia Sisco, who will perform with Tuomas Metsberg, known as a roots guitarist. Later on Sunday, the Jukka Eskola Soul Trio will take to the stage. The band is led by trumpeter Jukka Eskola, who is well known from many music programmes on TV, with Teppo Mäkynen on drums, and Mikko Helevä on the Hammond organ. The closing film of the event on Sunday 17 August will be the documentary Amazing Grace, starring Aretha Franklin.
From a residents' idea to a festival
Koffarin Kinofest is part of the #OmaStadi participatory budgeting project, where city residents chose the festival for implementation from among the other City of Helsinki's OmaStadi proposals. The festival is produced by the Savoy Theatre of the City of Helsinki’s Culture and Leisure Division.
"The new film and music festival in Sinebrychoff Park received 788 votes in the OmaStadi poll. My warmest thanks to all those who voted: the idea and the setting are great, and this is the only event of its kind that combines high-quality music and outdoor cinema. Come by to experience the intimate concerts and wonderful films in the darkening August evenings,” says Sirpa Hynninen, the event’s executive producer.
Entry to the event is free of charge for all. The event's food sales will be handled by restaurants Southpark and Kiltakellari, which will have terraces in the event area. You are also allowed to bring your own snacks to the event area.
The festival partners are Pop Up Kino Helsinki, Cinema Mondo, Sinebrychoff Art Museum, Restaurant Kiltakellari, Restaurant Southpark, Radio Helsinki, Alexander Theatre, the Finnish Association of Anti-Harassment Contact Persons, Eteläiset kaupunginosat ry and Pro Hietalahti ry.
Program
Friday Aug 15
18:00 DJ Miia Laine
19:00 Welcome address
19:30 Concert: Ina Forsman & Michael Bleu
21:30 Film: In the Mood for Love (G)
Sat Aug 16
14:00 Children's cinema: My Neighbor Totoro (G, dubbed). Sinebrychoff Museum’s ground floor
16:30 Concert for children: Tunteellinen siili – The sentimental hedgehog
18:00 Concert: Anna Inginmaa & Pekka Laine
19:00 DJ Miia Laine
20:00 Concert: Knucklebone Oscar band feat. Mariko
21:30 Film: Becoming Led Zeppelin (age limit 12+)
Sun Aug 17
14:00 Children's cinema: Kiki's Delivery Service (G, dubbed). Sinebrychoff Museum’s ground floor
16:30 Children's concert: Megasakki
18:00 Concert: Emilia Sisco Duo
19:00 DJ Miia Laine
20:00 Concert: Jukka Eskola Soul Trio
21:30 Film: Amazing Grace (G)
