The film storage room is one of Suvi Hanni's working places. As most of the time the film secretary is running around somewhere else.

Behind the Scenes: Suvi Hanni, Film Secretary

Towers of video tapes are piled up next to a huge TV, heaps of papers are spread over the rooms and little notes and huge posters are pinned on the walls and dividers.

Ringing mobile phones, film sounds and hectic conversations dominate the second floor of Tullikamari. The film department of the Tampere Film Festival is located here.

– We will not get very much sleep during the festival, predicts Suvi Hanni, – as we will be on the alert 24 hours a day. For Hanni and her three colleagues work has already started in December.

Having worked as a film co-ordinator in the Tough Eye International Turku Animated Film Festival last year the freshly graduated arts manager takes care of the special programmes and the micromovies in Tampere.

Collecting information about films, checking screening rights and forwarding screen prints to the spooling room were only some of Hanni's tasks in the run-up phase.

At present she is preparing a list for the different screenings containing screening orders, format lengths, aspect ratios, sound systems. The people in the spooling room, projectionists, translators and many more will rely on this information. And Hanni always sits a bit on the tenterhooks; she expects to receive some of the film prints and screening rights only in the last minute during the festival.

Where will we find you most of the time during the film festival?

– In Tullikamari. During the festival one person of the film department has to be at the office. We will still receive screen prints during the festival, we have to send some prints back right after the last screening, so there is a lot to do. I will not be able to see films.

What are you personally looking forward to?

– There is so much going on during the festival, but the atmosphere in the spooling room is different, relaxing.

Is there any film or screening you would recommend?

– One category is the music documentary. There is a documentary about Screamin' Jay Hawkings and one about Shane MacGowan, then we have the Riddim Night, a long reggae night with four films. One of them is mute and Kapteeni Ä:ni (a Finnish DJ) will do the sound. That will be pretty good.

How will life go on after the film festival?

– The festival ends on Sunday and then the work begins again for the film department. We have to return every screen print, often addresses change, transport and customs papers have to be filled in, transport companies have problems at customs. And then I wait for the moment that I can go home and sleep and I can actually stay home. And maybe there is another film festival coming up.

– I put a spell on me on the 9th of March at 23.00 in Pakkahuone
– If I should fall from Grace on the 6th of March at 21.00 in Pakkahuone
– Riddim Night & Kapteeni Ä:ni on the 8th of March at 23.00 in Pakkahuone

TEXT: Isabel Hartmann
PHOTOS: Isabel Hartmann
UPDATED: Wednesday, 13-Mar-2002 11:49:10 EET

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