Tsamo
Directed by
Finland
2015
92 min
- Russian
- Finnish
- Swedish
Historical
1860. While Alaska and Finland are part of the Russian Empire, the brother of the governor buys an eight year old Indian girl in order to free her when she reaches adulthood. On his return to Finland, he takes the child with him.
Festivals
Credits
- Cast
- Albina Tologovona
- Willhelm Grotenfelt
- Thomas Yellowhair
- Yovan Nagwetch
- Alma Pöysti
- Screenplay
- Markku Lehmuskallio
- Anastasia Lapsui
- Cinematography
- Johannes Lehmuskallio
- Editing
- Markku Lehmuskallio
- Juho Gartz
Director's Statement
The film is based on real events. Tsamo was born in 1854 in the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. His mother, a slave, belonged to the Tlingit tribe. In 1861, a Finnish engineer bought Tsamo. The deed of sale displaying the child's price complete with signatures has been preserved. Tsamo is separated from his people and country in order to become an exotic object tossed about by strangers. Faced with these changes, the child took refuge in the beliefs of his people- family and the culture we are born in shape our worldview.
- Production
- MAKING MOVIES OY
Anastasia Lapsui
Finland
Anastasia Lapsui is a Nenets film director who has lived in Finland since 1993. She is known for the features TSAMO, 7 SONGS FROM THE TUNDRA, BRIDE OF THE 7TH HEAVEN and the documentary MOTHERS OF LIFE.
Markku Lehmuskallio
Finland
Born in 1938 in Finland. His film KORPINPOLSKA was screened at the 1980 Berlinale at Competition. In 1983 he presented SKIERRI - LAND OF THE DWARF BIRK at Panorama. Since the 1990s he has been working together with Anastasia Lapsui. After several appearances at Forum, in 2010 they presented PUDANA - LAST OF LINE, their first film in Generation. ANERCA, BREATH OF LIFE, co-directed with his son Johannes Lehmuskallio, was presented at Visions du Réel 2020.
