The Wait

Local title
Ootus
Original title
Odotus
Director
Aku Louhimies
Country
Year
2021

Productive and internationally renowned Finnish director Aku Louhimies (“Restless”, “Frozen Land”, “The Unknown Soldier” and many others), who filmed his spy thriller “Omerta 6/12” in Estonia last year, has in the conditions of the corona crisis decided to approach filmmaking as an environmentally aware pioneer by making the first Finnish film where carbon emissions have been minimised, using a minimal film crew in terms of both actors and technical specialists and making vegetarian meals from local produce. The author of the idea for the film, co-screenwriter and leading actress Inka Kallén also conducted yoga classes every morning and baked cookies for the film crew every day.

The film is inspired by Finnish writer Juhani Aho’s novel "The Vicar’s Wife", with the events brought to today’s world. Women still have to ask themselves today: do I dare to be utterly honest with myself? In a tense love triangle, a woman is guided to liberating truth by her sexuality, at once raw and spiritual, careless and gentle.

Dagmar Raudam

Director
Aku Louhimies
Screenwriter
Inka Kallén, Aku Louhimies
Producer
Andrei Alén, Kaarina Gould, Aku Louhimies
Cast
Inka Kallén, Aku Hirviniemi, Andrei Alén, Adeliina Arajuuri
Director of Photography
Johan Wasicki
Editing
Ben Mercer
Production
Backmann & Hoderoff
Music
Esa-Pekka Salonen
Runtime
Language
Subtitles
Director
Aku Louhimies

Aku Louhimies (b. 1968) has risen to the top echelon of Finnish movie directors during the last decade. He gained professional skills and experience while working on several popular TV-series in the 1990s. His debut feature film "Restless" (2000) was a major box office hit, just like his second feature "Lovers & Leavers" (2002) and "Frozen Land" (2005). His next movie "Exposed Man" was selected at PÖFF competition programme in 2006. His ninth movie, war-drama "The Unknown Soldier" was the most successful film of the year in Finnish cinema with a 13.5 million euro domestic gross at the 2017 box office.

Levottomat (Rahutud, PÖFF 2000), Kuutamolla (Kuuvalgel, PÖFF 2002), Paha maa (PÖFF 2005), Valkoinen kaupunki (Jäine linn, 2006), Riisuttu mies (Lahtikistud mees, PÖFF 2006), Käsky (Tears of April, 2008), Vuosaari (Naked Harbour, 2012), 8-pallo (8-pall, PÖFF 2013), Tuntematon sotilas (Tundmatu sõdur, PÖFF 2017), Odotus (The Wait, 2021), Omerta 6/12 (2021)

Grand Prix for The Best Film, grant of 20 000 euros from the city of Tallinn, Award for Best Director, grant of 5000€ from Alexela

Screenings

Screening150101 / Ootus
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Q&A guestsInka Kallen - Screenwriter, Actress, Aku Louhimies - Director, Andrei Alén- Actor
Q&A duration
Screening duration
Screening162103 / Ootus
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration
Hall 1 Kino Artis
Screening171505 / Ootus
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration