The seventh edition of DocPoint Helsinki Documentary Film Festival opens on Wednesday the 23rd January with Finnish director Arto Halonen’s Shadow of the Holy Book, which premiered in IDFA in November. The film deals with the current situation of Turkmenistan and raises questions about the moral responsibility and obligations of international corporations. DocPoint takes place in Helsinki, Finland 23.–27.1.2008.

On the opening day DocPoint awards Jörn Donner (b. 1933), the noted Finnish talent of cinema and a documentary film maker, with Apollo Award for his contributions to Finnish documentary cinema. To celebrate the award the festival showcases a selection of Donner’s films. The award will be handed to Donner at the festival opening in Bio Rex on the 23rd of Jan.


HIGHLIGHTS OF DOCPOINT PROGRAMME

DocPoint's main themes include Austrian and Iranian documentaries. The guest of honour of the festival is director Ulrich Seidl from Austria. DocPoint also hosts special guests from Iran: filmmaker and festival director Massoud Bakhshi and director Ebrahim Mokhtari (e.g. Zinat, One Special Day) will visit Helsinki and DocPoint festival.

Themes in DocPoint programme include War/Atonement, featuring a new Finnish documentary film Victims by Seppo Rustanius about the Finnish civil war in 1918. DocPoint’s Young Visions - Lost Opportunities? -programme brings several film makers such as Michael Noer (Vesterbro), Lena Rouxel (My Palestine) and Yaniv Berman (The Alpha Diaries) to Helsinki as DocPoint’s guests.

DocPoint offers a unique cinema concert where the early documentary classic, Robert J. Flaherty's Nanook of the North, is accompanied by Kraft, a two-man-band of young and aspiring Finnish musicians Pekka Kuusisto and Johanna Juhola. Saturday night in DocPoint is American Night, a tribute to the American film makers Albert and David Maysles featuring three films from Maysles’ 1960’s production. DocPoint also pays a tribute to the work of legendary Finnish television journalist and documentarist, Hannu Karpo. Karpo’s Finland -programme is DocPoint's tribute to Karpo's unique work in the interpretation of the Finnish state of mind.

DocPoint screenings take place in Helsinki in Bio Rex, Maxim and Kiasma Teatteri and Ateneum cinemas. Tickets from the venue of the screening one hour before the first screening at the latest. The festival programme includes clubs, discussions and a Masterclass hosted by Ulrich Seidl. Further information about DocPoint events online at www.docpoint.info.