August (2011)

Summer begins, Aku graduates high school and faces a great emptiness. As his girlfriend, parents and friends all leave the city, it looks to be the dullest summer ever. Everything changes ... See full summary »

Director:

Oskari Sipola

Writers:

Harri Paananen (original idea), Oskari Sipola (idea)

Stars:

Eppu Pastinen, Lina Turkama, Zagros Manuchar

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Eppu Pastinen	...	Aku
Lina Turkama	...	Juli
Zagros Manuchar	...	Freda
Niina Koponen	...	Erika
Pihla Viitala	...	Johanna
Ilkka Heiskanen	...	Isä
Henrika Andersson	...	Äiti
Juha Lagström	...	Hannu
Markku Maalismaa	...	Risto
Heikki Ranta	...	Timppa
Timo Torikka	...	Eero
Matleena Kuusniemi	...	Sari
Jaana Joensuu	...	Sointu
Mika Kurvinen	...	Kalle
Misa Lommi	...	Nainen baarissa

Storyline

Summer begins, Aku graduates high school and faces a great emptiness. As his girlfriend, parents and friends all leave the city, it looks to be the dullest summer ever. Everything changes at Midsummer when Aku meets Juli, a beautiful, strange and wild girl. Juli asks Aku for a ride to eastern Finland. Aku agrees - without any idea what he's getting himself into.

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Plot Keywords:

road movie | coming of age | friendship between boys | summer | friend | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Did You Know?

Connections

References Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

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Soundtracks

Vierailla kallioilla
written by Joel Melasniemi & Terhi Kokkonen
performed by Scandinavian Music Group
courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment Finland

User Reviews

A midsummer dream

Elokuu, meaning 'August'... Is an engaging, gentle coming of age film. A lot of thought must have gone into the atmospheric cinematography ( From Mr.Joonas Pulkkanen ) of a blissful, near magical Scandinavian summer. As the fairly naive, contemplative middle class protagonist school leaver, 'Aku' explores his existential, more rebellious romantic self. The film begins with his long term girlfriend and family leaving him to his own devices - and after a friend tells him... 'that life is fleeting' And from the stresses of final exams - the City teenager starts to question his own choices and future career path and seemingly affluent parental lifestyle, that he will eventually mirror. On a road journey through the remote Finnish countryside with a mysterious, free spirited chance encounter. The film probably ends realistically, but fails to excite or escape it's bourgeois underpinnings or stereotypes - on either side of the camera. The films story arch becomes problematic and for me at least... far too melodramatic and drawn out in the final third. But still, Elokuu is an interesting and entertaining little film, from writer/director Mr.Oskari Sipola. Well worth a viewing.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Finland]

Country:

Finland

Language:

Finnish Swedish

Release Date:

1 April 2011 (Finland)

Also Known As:

August

Filming Locations:

Kamppi, Helsinki, Finland

Box Office

Budget:

EUR830,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$522,191

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bronson Club

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo (TV version) Dolby Digital (theatrical print)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1