Steam of Life

Sometimes you just have to add more steam to truly clear the air. Finnish men in saunas bare more than just their bodies in this moving documentary where the conversation cuts to the core of raw human experience. Breaking a sweat (and consuming a few libations) unlocks tales of births, deaths, marriages, and everything in between. Saunas pop up in the most unlikely of places such as an old trailer or a phone booth, and sweeping views of the serene natural beauty of Finland provide a backdrop of silence and hard work that portrays a people blessed with natural resources, but perhaps few personal ones. Saunas seem to provide a sanctuary where formalities and emotional distance are abandoned along with clothing, and the ability of one human to relate to and support another takes on a whole new meaning.

The film’s honest and undisturbed storytelling is a testament to the skill, sensitivity, and invisibility of the documentary crew. In-depth looks at masculinity are rare, and this film highlights the need for a reexamination of old stereotypes.

Winner of Best Film at Anyalankoski Film Sunday, Winner of Risto Jarva Prize at Tampere International Short Film Festival, Nominated for Best Documentary at European Film Awards, Nominated for Nordic Council Film Prize. 

Print Source: Films Transit, John Nadai, john@filmstransit.com