“Ritual for the Rainbow” is a story about four preteens who live outside of society’s safety nets due to domestic violence. Ariel, Rupi, Liisa, and Hemmo make a living by shooting rats at a junkyard and collecting empty bottles. They lack role models and authority figures until they meet a Wiccan who organizes rituals to teach them confidence and how to combat violence and patriarchy — for a fee, of course.

Candy for life! Magic in color!

Original soundtrack cassette now available via online shop.

UPCOMING SCREENINGS:

May 8th, 2026 Kristiansand Barnefilmfestivale, Norway

Project Type: Narrative Short
Genres: Drama, Comedy, Adventure, Fantasy, Magical realism
Runtime: 18 minutes 35 seconds

Director, Cinematographer, Writer, Music: Sami Sänpäkkilä
Starring: Emilia Yli-Pukka, Ilona Malte-Colliard, Seela Minder, Miisa Koivuaho-Sormunen, Ida Sofia Fleming
Art Director: Anne-Mari Musturi
Gaffer: Sara Aaltio
Sound Design: Jaakko Niemelä
Lighting Technician: Elise Peltola
Catering: Pasi Salmi
Co-starring: Elissa Määttänen, Kalevi Suopursu

PAST SCREENINGS:

Tampere Film Festival
Tampere, Finland
March 6, 2024
Finnish Premiere
National Competition Selection

Kino Bled Film Festival
Slovenia
July 25, 2024
International premiere
Official Selection

Lytham International Film Festival
United Kingdom
August 23, 2024
UK Premiere
Official Selection

Hobnobben
Fort Wayne, IN, United States
October 5, 2024
American Premiere
Official selection

Suomen elokuvasäätiö K13
Helsinki, Finland
October, 15, 2024
November, 15, 2024
Night of the Arts and Night of the Arts rerun

Sensommar Film Fest
Reposaari, Finland
August 31, 2024
Official Selection

Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy
Helsinki, Finland
September 20, 2024
National competition

Splat Festival
Warszaw, Poland
October 27, 2024
Polish Premiere
Méliès D’argent Competition Selection

Pori Film Festival
Pori, Finland
December 1, 2024

BUFF
Malmö, Sweden
March 20, 2025

The post Ritual for the Rainbow (Short Film) appeared first on Sami Sänpäkkilä.

The Eternal Sleep of the Man (Ihmisen ikuinen uni) is a collaborative film by Sami Sänpäkkilä and Anna-Mari Nousiainen. It is available for screenings as a one channel nine minute short film with surround sound or as a 15 channel installation with two stereo audio channels.

15-channels | 30 s – 4 min loops | 2 stereo channels | 16:9, 4:3, 2.39:1 | HD | 2018
1-channel | 9 min | 5.1 surround | 2.35:1 | HD | DCP | 2018

Directed and written and edited by Sami Sänpäkkilä, Anna-Mari Nousiainen
Cinematography: Sami Sänpäkkilä, Anna-Mari Nousiainen, Valtteri Piira
Sound design: Samuli Ala-lahti
Music: Es / Sami Sänpäkkilä
Assistants: Toni Laakso, Sunna Junkkila
Actors: Anu Nousiainen, Ville Pirinen, Reetta Turtiainen, Diina Bukareva, Laura Laukkanen, Paula Nousiainen, Essi Rossi, Netta Lempiäinen, Jasu Parviainen, Samuli Gröhn, Vilma Lehtovaara, Minja Koski, Ida-Maria Olva, Leevi Ikonen.
Support by: Taike, SKR

The Eternal Sleep of The Man depicts magical realism and seeks solace in our urban environment. In the passage titled #suomineito (Finnish maiden) a woman in blue clothes and blue hair hangs upside down from a rope in a tree. In the passage Kultasuu (Goldmouth) Nousiainen cuts her hair in the middle of a golden glitter rain and in another passage a man reads a burning book and sings of hope.

The film draws influence from the pop and underground culture both Nousiainen and Sänpäkkilä have ingested in their lives. Despite their age difference both artists’ cultural influences stem from the same Hollywood film and indie art sources.

Sami Sänpäkkilä is a visual artist, filmmaker, and musician living in Tampere. His work has been shown in places such as the Mänttä Art Festival and MoMA in New York. He received the art prize for the region of Pirkanmaa in 2014.

Anna-Mari Nousiainen is a filmmaker and artist, whose work has been exhibited at numerous festivals and galleries. Her first short film, Glitter Stories, won 1st prize at the Artova Film Festival in 2015. She has also directed many music videos for Finnish performing artists.

The post The Eternal Sleep of the Man appeared first on Sami Sänpäkkilä.