Tove

Well I watched it, but as someone who was/is enchanted by the Moomins even into adulthood, I felt cheated. I personally have very little interest in most people's sex lives, but I am especially uninterested in the sex lives of people who would have So Much more interesting things to talk about. She obviously grew up inspired by the countryside, and there's a lot of that in the Moomins. This was unexplored. And then there was the delightful mother role, who obviously inspired the character of Moomintroll's mother, but whose character was shamefully unexplored. How anyone can make a film like this about something so fascinating and just focus on sex and longing for romance is TOTALLY BEYOND ME. I was quite disappointed. I am just not very interested in knowing about people's sex lives. Not even if they were gay in a time when it as frowned upon by some. I am far more interested in their intellect and ideas. I consider this film to be full of missed opportunities. They didn't even explore why Vivica, the lover/theatre director had the fantastic idea of making a children's play about the Moomins, which in itself must have been a new, breakthrough genre of theatre. That was genius. If I had made this film it would have been better, and I don't say that lightly.

Tove: Tove Jansson (Alma Poysti) wasn't just the creator of the Moomins, she was an artist, a writer, a playwright. Tove illustrates this as it covers her life from 1944 to the late 1950's. Her passion for people and for the Arts is vividly depicted, as is the poverty of her early days, denied grants she paid her rent with paintings. She finds her studio/apartment after Helsinki is bombed in 1944 and turns that into a work of art as well. Though the Moomins brought her financial security she felt it took away from her real work and her demanding sculptor father Viktor (Robert Enckell) criticised it as not being art. Her love life was unconventional, she had ongoing affairs with politician/philosopher Atos Wirtanen (Shanti Roney) and theatrical director Vivica Bandler (Krista Kosonen). Vivica's polyamory caused her heartbreak, she had even left Atos for her. The relationship was central to her life and work until she could finally find love elsewhere. A moving tale of Art, Love and Friendship. Directed by Zaida Bergrothy from a Screenplay by Eeva Putro and Jamo Elonen. 8/10.

This biopic about the artist Tove Jansson opens the Festival, which focuses on her relationship with her great love, not fully reciprocated. Leaving on a secondary plane other relationships that seem more interesting to us, such as the one she maintains with her father, this biopic is conventional. There is an unrequited double relationship, but the script unbalances her interest. Everything is in its place, but nothing stands out especially, except the work of the actress Alma Pöysti.

Be warned although based on the life of author of a kid's creation, this one is definitely not for the kids.

Although it's heartwarming and quite sad in places, it's one of the better biopic's on artists I've seen in a while. Carried by a excellent performance from Alma Pöysti as Tove Jansson, probably best known for Aki Kaurismaki's recent film Fallen Leaves. She's really a likeable presence on screen.

The film doesn't really shy away from Tove's Bisexuality or her sex life. Although I did think the film did underplay Tove's lifelong partner Tuulikki Pietila role in her life (she gets a few minutes near the end) and it's mostly based around her love affair with Vivica Bandler.

At 1hr 40mins, it doesn't overstay it's welcome. The cast are really excellent. It's not breaking any new ground or anything but having such a likeable lead actress in Pöysti carrying the film does help it. I hope that with success of Fallen Leaves, that we see more of her working outside of Finland.

I wish they could have found more subject matter, to make a film about a great artist and author, than to shove as many "bohemian artist drinking", "look at me, I'm dancing", and lesbian sex scenes, into this film as possible. It gets unfortunately dull pretty quick.