99 vuotta elämästäni (99 Years of My Life) is and experimental collage film depicting one fictional biography from birth to death, based on the lives and memories of four women of different age. Each year in the film is reduced to three sentences, a list that runs from 0 to 99. This narration is illustrated via a collection of images created in a variety of cinematographic styles and media: archive footage, home video, still photography, animation, film noir-styled scenes and performance documentation.
Credits
- Directing & script: Marja Viitahuhta (formerly Marja Mikkonen)
- Cinematography: Sini Liimatainen
- Editing: Azar Saiyar
- Assistant editing: Joonas Kiviharju
- Animation: Veera Luhtala, Sakari Luhtala
- Sound Design: Jussi Vuola
- Additional imagery: Sakari Luhtala, Marja Viitahuhta, Olli Leppänen, Marjatta Hanhijoki, Maija Hirvanen, Mauri Hirvanen, Erja Luhtala, Sakari Luhtala, Veera Luhtala, Hannu Mikkonen, Paula Mikkonen, Hanna Oksanen, Ronja Oksanen, Ali Saiyar, Anja Saiyar, Azar Saiyar, Irma Truhponen, Teuvo Truhponen, Juha-Pekka Truhponen, Taneli Viitahuhta
- Music: Antti Tolvi, Marja Viitahuhta, Jussi Vuola
- Lights: Sakari Luhtala, Vitalius Kiselijus
- Actors: numerous (incl. Marja Viitahuhta, Martti Aartola, Annika Dahlsten, Maija Hirvanen, Pia Kalenius, Essi Kausalainen, Joonas Kiviharju, Aapo Korkeaoja, Sini Liimatainen, Sakari Luhtala, Hanna Oksanen, Ronja Oksanen, Santos Parrilla, Sofia Parrilla, Suvi Parrilla, Anja Saiyar, Azar Saiyar, Irma Truhponen, Teuvo Truhponen, Tuomo Truhponen, Lahja Tuominen, Vilho Tuominen, Taneli Viitahuhta, Lars Wingård, Topi Äikäs)
- Production: Marja Viitahuhta and Sini Liimatainen / Turku University of Applied Sciences Arts Academy
- Distribution support: Finnish Film Foundation SES
Watch
99 Years of my Life is distributed by AV-arkki, where you can watch an excerpt of the work.
Screenings, exhibitions, awards
99 Years of My Life was a graduation film from Turku Arts Academy in 2003 for both Marja Viitahuhta (at the time Marja Mikkonen) and Sini Liimatainen. The film had its international premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in Cinéfondation category in 2004, where it was awarded with the shared silver prize.
The film has been acquired to the collections of:
- MoMA (New York)
- Kiasma Contemporary Museum of Art
The film has been screened world widely at film festivals, including e.g.:
Cannes FF / Expresión en Corto SFF / Guanajuato FF / Malmö Filmdagar / Beijing ISFF / No Words Bolzano FF / Seoul IFF / Rio de Janeiro ISFF / Zinebi FF Bilbao / Midnight Sun FF / Golden Lion FF Taipei / Adelaide FF / Némo FF Paris / Cannes FF / Clermont-Ferrand FF / Festival du Nouveau cinema Montreal / Mediawave Györ / Cork FF / Granada IFF / IndieLisboa / L’alternativa FF Barcelona / Tampere FF / Espoo Ciné / Tampere FF / Rauma Blue sea FF
99 Years of My Life has been exhibited as a one channel video installation at
- It’s a Set-up, collection exhibition, Kiasma Contemporary Museum of Art, Helsinki, 26.03.2010 – 06.02.2011
- North by New York, group exhibition, Scandinavian house, New York, 2002
Awards
- Deuxieme Prix (ex-aequo) Cinéfondation, Cannes FF, 2004
- Best Experimental Film, Mediawave FF, 2004
- Team work award, Stuttgarter Filmwinter, 2004
- Audience award, L’Alternativa FF, 2004
