Lauri and Henna Tanskanen filmed Sisarukset with their family and friends for seven years. Lauri was diagnosed with cancer in 2016, but the filming continued.
Henna and Lauri Tanskanen play twins in Sisarukset. Sonja Saarinen
Cast Henna and Lauri Tanskanen and their children Wind and Lilac have completed a nearly decade-long project.
It all started in 2014. A group of friends wanted to shoot a short film together, but they soon realized that the topics covered are too big for a short film.
– Actors don’t often have such long projects and such deep relationships with their own roles, Henna Tanskanen sums up to Iltalehte Siblings– in the movie’s invited guest evening.
This was born Siblings– a film that was shot for no less than seven years. In the movie, twins in their thirties Jenna and John learn that their father has a third child, Jóna, who lives in Iceland. The film observes sibling relationships and how the world changes over the years.
The movie is directed by Sarah Cantell.
Elin Petersdottir plays the Icelandic sister in the movie “Sisters”. Laura Mainiemi
– We started thinking that what if we followed what happens to the characters over the years. We really didn’t know what it actually meant, Henna continues.
The cancer narrative is changing
The film shows the growing up of Henna and Lauri’s children and Lauri’s cancer diagnosis in 2016. The couple put a lot of thought into how they bring life’s big turning points into the film. However, all scenes and decisions are conscious and the situations are carefully planned, although the film also contains improvisation.
– however, we have taken pregnancy and cancer diagnosis as part of a fictional story as if it happened to our bodies. They are kind of parallel to real life, but scripted. It brought security to the situation and also the fact that the work group is so small and everyone is our friend. We wouldn’t have dared to include our own children in a large production, Henna describes.
The Sisaruset movie was directed by Saara Cantell. Sonja Saarinen
Lauri states that dealing with a cancer diagnosis in the film was a really empowering experience for him personally.
– When I was diagnosed with cancer, I was involved in many projects, but they were all interrupted because of the cancer. However, our work group set out to work with me and on this trip. And luckily they left, because now we’re here, Lauri says gently.
Sisarukset movie was filmed in Finland and Iceland. Film chamber
Henna and Lauria reflect on how cancer is often shown in movies as a paralyzing thing. Lauri has an old-fashioned idea that cancer cuts off everything from life.
– In this film, we have been able to hold on to what cancer means in this story. The character’s story continues and he lives, that’s what our experience of real life is, Henna opens.
– After this, we have watched movies and the narratives in them are almost always very narrow in terms of the fact that a person suffering from cancer becomes shorter. This includes a new kind of cancer narrative, Lauri continues.
Time matters
Siblings-film has captured not only the turning points in Danskasten’s personal life, but also things that revolutionized the world globally. The film shows, for example, digitization and the pandemic era.
– With the help of this project, we have been able to study how time affects people. We grow old, we change and our children grow up, the city has changed and houses have been built. Here you can see changes that usually can’t even be in a film, Henna reflects.
The film also shows the changes and turning points in the Danskas family’s life. Sonja Saarinen
The Danes have not come across similar films or production methods in Finland or abroad. The film was also made with a small work group, which included a maximum of 10 people.
– Yes, I think we are making history. An actor was born for this movie in the middle of the movie. In the first year, Lila was in my stomach and in the last year, she repeated herself in Icelandic, Henna laughs.
Siblings-film has been filmed in Finland and Iceland.
The Danes have admired each other’s work for their joint project. Fatigue has taken its toll at times, but the relationship has always been fine.
– This has only brought more to our relationship and we are stronger than before. We’ve been put under pressure in many ways, but it’s been wonderful to see each other at work, that’s what’s wonderful about this. We have been able to work together, Henna sums up.
Sisters movie in cinemas on Friday 27th October.