Prinsessa

As a theme,madness is rather difficult to portray not only in cinema but also in other fields of art.It has a lot to do with a formal definition of the word "madness" as madness has its own fair share of plausible interpretations.This is probably one reason why the theme of madness and its interpretation are always challenging be it through the works of French philosopher Michel Foucault or its portrayal in mainstream films such as "One flew over the cuckoo's nest".It must also be added that there is a marked difference in the manner Europeans like to deal with madness as opposed to what their American counterparts would do.Arto Halonen's Finnish film "Prinsessa"/Princess is a different cinematographic experience as it thoroughly ensures that all its characters are treated in the same manner as other sane people are treated.For this reason,the film relies heavily on its leading actress Katka Kukkola whose saga of erratic,madcap behavior makes one wonder whether there is really some hidden sense in madness or it is just a different name given to the mystery surrounding life's pranks in which everybody would like to indulge.Lastly,princess is based on a true story wherein the director has succeeded in staying close to the actual events by taking complete control of his imagination by making room for innumerable moments of hilarity.

In 1945 a mental hospital receives a patient who will be known to all as Princess. The patient is fortunate because the staff at hospital will attempt to cure the patients relying on various new methods, that aren't too schoolbook-like. In this somewhat 'liberal' environment Princess will become known to all as some kind of Her Royal Highness who can, maybe surprisingly too, treat everyone as if she really possessed the grace and power of a sovereign. But of course the reality will always strike back, softer or harder.

The movie is based on real events which roll by in fast but still at an enjoyable pace. The film could be enjoyable too because it contains a good deal of the top cream of contemporary Finnish actors, not to mention the Finnish rock star Paula Vesala who makes a decent, if not just great, debut on the screen as a supporting actress. Despite the film is about a serious mental illness I couldn't but laugh at few scenes - even if some scenes are really tragic and even terrifying, no one can escape the fact that life never needs to be too serious even if the environment is against you.

I caught this movie a few weeks ago when I went up to Montreal for the World Film Festival, and I was a little shocked at how terrific it was. It's the story of a woman in a mental institution who seems convinced that she is a princess. As the film goes on, she uses this delusion to create a new world for the other asylum inmates that is fuller, deeper and in many ways far more humane than anything the institution offers them. That makes the film sound like something left over from the Sixties -- one of those insufferable movies that scold us all for not being as child-like and simple as the mentally ill. But one of the many pleasures and surprises of Princess is that the director, Arto Halonen, complicates the situation, and brings a remarkable compassion and complexity to his view of all the characters, even the ones who at first seem least sympathetic. This is filmmaking in the Renoir style, where we're not so much pressured to pass judgment as to enter the ever-deepening humanity of people caught up in a very difficult situation. The conflict between the Princess and one of the institute's leaders, for instance, has many different layers to it, and while Halonen's sympathies are clearly with the Princess, he gives the leader his due as a man who wants to do the right thing but is badly misguided in his devotion to the latest medical advances -- shock treatment and lobotomy. Even more strikingly, the film manages to hold onto this complex, humane approach while being tremendously entertaining. The actors, particularly the one who plays the Princess, all find large reserves of humor in their roles, and the relationship between the Princess and her best friend is both exhilarating and, in the end, deeply moving, as it leads towards a terrible tragedy. Yet the final effect of the film is more inspiring than tragic, as Halonen places the life of the Princess and her impact on the mental institution into their long-term perspective. This is really a stunning movie, and you should definitely watch it when it comes to the U.S.