The film Kitkajoki
”Light in the Wilderness” film had its premiere 18.8.2017 at Savonlinna and is screened on TV by Yle at 1.1.2018, 2.1.2018 and 7.1.2018. The film received gold at the international WorldMediaFestival nature category and was additionally awarded with MagicEye special award for its photoprahpy. The film tells about the relationship between human and nature. Powerful aphorisms and thoughts of the late author from Kuusamo; Reino Rinne, movingly lets audience know that. Beautiful nature, the rare moments of light and the changes of the seasons of Kitkajoki, in the photographs by Tauno Kohonen used in the film emphasize the meaning of pure nature to us all in the movie. Follow www.facebook.com/kitkajoki
The trailer (7 min) from the beginning of the movie introduces one to atmosphere in it. The aphorisms of Reino Rinne and an example voice over are read by Veikko Honkanen, a well-known voice from the nature documentaries in Finland. The music of the trailer is an example music as well as the pictures which are taken by Tauno Kohonen. They were chosen to give a taste of the atmosphere in the movie.
Light in the Wilderness is a collaboration of YLE/TV1 Yhteistuotannot and production company Rapid River. It is supported by The Finnish Film Foundation as well as The Foundation of Raija and Ossi Tuuliainen. The movie has been prepared in Aikalisä- workshop at Heinävesi. Many experts have been part of it. Nature of Kuusamo and especially Kitkajoki are important for the producer and photographer Tauno Kohonen.
There is a saying, that every director wants to tell a certain story over and over again, the story that is important for themselves. For me, the river Kitkajoki has always been the base of my work, only the instrument has changed. I know what kind of movie I want to do, and the kind of experience I want to pass on to the audience. As a director I have gotten around me a team of professionals, who participate in the making of Kitkajoki movie.
Reino Rinne
Reino Rinne is a late author, journalist, poet and nature philosopher from Kuusamo. His life’s work on behalf of nature, and especially nature of Kuusamo, has been enormous. The acts of Reino Rinne influenced the decision of building a power plant in the area, effectively protecting the rapid rivers and falls of Kuusamo. It was called “the war of rapids in Kuusamo” which started 60 years ago and lasted for nearly 30 years.
The aphorisms of Rinne raised thoughts and they are extremely current at the moment since there are plans for a gold mine, to be placed along the river of Kitkajoki. Locals call it a uranium mine, for high uranium levels of the ore. The waste waters would be lead to Kitkajoki. The movie features the true deep relationship between human and nature; love of the nature.
Tauno Kohonen and The Production Company Rapid River
Tauno Kohonen has travelled the valley of Kitkajoki since 1980. His hobbies being photographing, fishing, kayaking and skiing. Being in nature has been and still is important for him. Kohonen acted as a civil servant in the 1980s during when he personally influenced the protection of Kitkaniemi area, an area between Kitkajoki and Oulankajoki, and its combining to the Oulanka National Park. He describes himself as a photographer in nature.
In 1991 he established his enterprise Rapid River, which got its name from Kitkajoki. Kohonen has filmed material for the Kitkajoki-film for five years. The production company Rapid River has also made different media projects, videos, internet portals and art books, of which the most important is Light in the Wilderness book that introduces a reader to the nature of Kuusamo in seven languages. An exhibition made of the book’s pictures travelled as ten copies for four years in various countries by of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland.
More information available in Finnish at www.reinorinne.com and www.rapidriver.fi
