The Sámi, the indigenous people in the far north of Europe and Russia, are ready to share their stories with the world. But only under certain conditions, says film commissioner Liisa Holmberg from…
The Sámi, the indigenous people in the far north of Europe and Russia, are ready to share their stories with the world. But only under certain conditions, says film commissioner“The most important thing is respect,” she notes, mentioning the Pathfinder Film Protocol – a set of guidelines and questions for non-Sámi filmmakers named after Nils Gaup’s 1987 Oscar-nominated drama.
“[In the past] we have been portrayed as ‘mysterious’ or as primitive idiots who are always drunk. Is that what we want our children to see? Also, the work of reindeer herders is not ‘primitive,’ although some like to exoticize it. To us, it’s everyday life.” “It’s important that the Sámi people themself tell our stories, no matter the subject. We should have the right to determine our identity and the right to practice our own cultural heritage and traditional livelihood. Is that too much to ask?”
“We have been working closely with the community. It’s more about perspective and attitude than anything else,” he says.While his first feature documentary “The Beckhams of Utsjoki” talks about modern Sámi life through the experiences of one family, now he is hoping to engage younger viewers by focusing on rapper Mihkku Laiti, known as Yungmiqu.