Miesten vuoro

I had heard about this movie before, so I knew what to expect. But still it managed to make a clean cut like a hot knife through butter.

Being a Finnish ex-pat in Thailand it brought back memories, raw and uncut. And in some strange way made me feel proud of my heritage. Yes, I have built a sauna here in tropics.

Excellent. No corners cut. But I won't give it a 10 because of the one thing that is missing: Joy. That too is shared inside the confines of the sanctity of the sauna.

That said, I truly hope there won't be a sequel. The turn is up and it was well used.

Saunas have long been seen as a central tenant of Finnish culture and are often a significant marker of a cultural identity for Finland. In Steam of Life, a film directed by Joonas Berghall and Mika Hotakainen, is a Finnish documentary film that builds and explores the relationship between men and the ubiquitous Finnish Sauna. Steam of Life is a film could not have come from any other country as Berghall and Hotakainen use a unique documentary storytelling technique; most of the movie takes place almost entirely in or around saunas. It is almost as if this movie was a compilation of short films; a series of standalone stories with the connecting fiber that runs through them being that each small movie revolves around a life story told by men from within saunas. There is no continuity between each of these small segments, but individual story each packs an emotional punch as the men recount their personal stories. Despite this unlikely premise and the unconventional storytelling technique, this movie succeeds with flying colors.

Saunas are often a place of quiet, there is little to do except sit in the heat and perform ritualistic actions such as pouring water over hot coals. All the vigorous action such as the cleaning by dousing happens at the end of the sauna session. There is little else for one to do but sit, think, and reflect. The sauna is an intimate setting; one is often by his or herself or with one other person and it is always done naked. Yet this intimate setting is often done with members of the same sex, removing any sort of sexual coloring or influence. What is left is the perfect environment that fosters reflection and makes for a situation that allows one to share their troubles and past woes without judgment and to build relationships.

Like the naked bodies the audience is subjected to within the sauna, the stories that come along with are often just as ugly and not pleasing to bear witness too. They are both exposed in body and emotion. Something else that comes along with this that won't take a viewer long to notice is how the movie features almost exclusively men. Just before the credits, the film states that Steam of Life is dedicated to Finnish men, a sort of tribute. About midway through the movie, an army officer spills that he finds it hard to find time to feel weak or sorry, it is seen as a weakness in his environment. This can be extrapolated to a larger theme of the film. There are certain expectations that come along with gender, generally men are expected to be strong and brave and it is a sign of weakness to show emotion or sadness. This movie attempts to break down this barrier; the sauna is used as a small window of time that allows men to dwell on their troubles and share their woes without feeling as judged by society, or without their manhood questioned. Besides, when else would one share such stories except for a sauna?

The directors like to include wide-angle still shots, with the characters slowly moving across or away from the camera. While this may seem like rudimentary cinematic techniques, there is no camera movement or common techniques like using a hand-held camera—this would do a disservice to the beautiful cinematography and the themes of the movie. The focus is not excitement or the artistic techniques, but instead the men's stories. As I mentioned previously, the cinematography in Steam of Life beautiful-- Yes, most of the movie is inside of saunas (I had no idea there was so much variability in the settings of saunas: tents, small phone booths in fields, gyms, trailers, small cabins…-etc) but when the movie moves outside of the cramped rooms the viewer is treated to a visual feast which is the Finnish countryside. This also showcases another key cultural marker of Finland—the importance of nature and lakes in defining Finish identity.

US viewers might be at first disgusted and turned away when looking at this film at a glance, we are not used to seeing full nudity in movies—and even less used to seeing non-beautiful men nude. If you start to feel this way, I beg for you to press on. If you do press forward with Steam of Life, you will be treated to a beautiful film—while not in actors--cinematically, and an emotionally powerful film on a little explored topic—men's emotions. There may not be exactly an agenda or a specific plot to Steam of Life, but this documentary gives the viewer the opportunity to have their own take away and form their own opinions about the film as a whole.

Finns themselves tend to believe (both men and women) in a stereotype, that men really do not discuss about their feelings, at least not with other men. This movie proves the opposite, and can encourage those with difficulties to open themselves to their friends and maybe, just maybe lower the suicide numbers in Finland.

http://tinyurl.com/36d8jum

and even more important, to help the next generations to talk more. this is a movie, that no sound person leaves without tears in their eyes.

the stories seem first 'boring', and a bit slow. but if you let yourself slow down and understand, that these are true stories by true men, and focus on how these guys are sharing their stories almost without noticing the camera at all, you will learn a lot about 'man' and men in particular...

Having read raving reviews about 'Miesten vuoro' (Steam of Life), which reportedly has reduced many viewers to tears, I expected much from this hauntingly beautiful documentary about Finnish masculinity, the sauna culture, and male vulnerability. The movie delivered everything I expected from it, and more; it's a gripping, genuinely moving portrayal of the sensitive side of rough men who have been raised to hide their emotions.

The concept is rather simple; a variety of ordinary Finnish men talking about highly emotional moments of their lives in saunas. The men represent various different age groups and occupations, but in the context of the film their roles in the society are almost irrelevant. In the sauna, the men shed their clothes, social masks, and inhibitions, and bare the true, raw emotions behind their tough exteriors. Clothes and occupations can only tell so much about a person. The bare, life-shaped bodies of these men - some old and some young, some fat and some skinny, some well-built and others filled with scars - say so much more. And beneath both their clothes and their skins, the men are very much alike.

The stories the men tell vary between heart-warming and heart-breaking; they talk about parenthood and childhood, of friendship and marriage, of birth and of death. Many of the men talk about their children, and for me both the tragic and the happy stories of fatherhood stood out as the most touching scenes of the movie.

It's very difficult to make a movie about such an emotional subject matter without being overly sentimental, but 'Miesten vuoro' manages to do just that. The scenes are very intimate, but also properly aloof. The beautiful score and gorgeous images of the rough wilderness and snowy cities support the emotional content perfectly without drenching the movie in needless sap. There are also splashes of tender humour scattered around the film, which makes it vibrant and balanced.

There's something cathartic about watching the men open up, reveal their emotions, and wash themselves. It doesn't take a genius to point out the metaphorical connection between emotional and physical purification through bathing and talking. It's like a religious rite; in 'Miesten vuoro', the sauna is a place of meditation for men who cannot bare their hearts anywhere else.

It's a concept that seems both bizarre and confronting - watching Finnish men sit in a sauna and listening to them talk about their lives. We witness an emotional and physical steam. The premise is so basic that it comes as a shock just how moving this documentary turns out to be. 'Steam of Life' is a 2010 Finnish documentary directed by Joonas Berghall and Mika Hotakainen. They film men as they talk about their lives in a way that is sometimes painfully slow for the audience, and at the same time painfully difficult for the men. They talk about their families, those that they love, their dreams and aspirations. We see just as many unique saunas as we see unique souls that have been severely affected by the rigors and demands of life. It is a deeply moving documentary, both for the men who tell their stories and for the audience who listens to them. The sauna is a haven of physical and emotional release. And in our journey from sauna to sauna around the country, we listen to incredible stories and witness unique individuals that remind us of the complexities of humanity.

Perhaps the most confronting aspect of the film, initially, is that the men are completely naked. This conveys the vulnerability of the men who defy Finnish stereotypes to open up emotionally to the camera. The focus on the men as human beings, without special effects, shows us that that documentary does not intend to hide any aspects of the individuals. The directors also utilize the technique of framing the man speaking and the men listening in one camera shot, which has the effect of making the audience feel like they are in the sauna with the men and listening to their stories in an intimate environment.

The use of saunas in the film reflects their deeply held importance in Finnish culture. Saunas have great cultural significance and as we can see in the film, there are numerous styles and locations of saunas. These saunas provide Finnish people with a sense of community and belonging - it is a place where they can physically be revitalized and emotionally find a release. It seems fair that saunas almost hold a spiritual significance for the Finnish in the sense that they are a sanctuary. They are a place where any kind of person, with any history, can find solace and peace.

The stories that the men tell are deeply personal and moving. For example, some men talk about the pain of losing a child after a bitter divorce, others talks about the death of those they loved, while one man talks about his stepfather beating him as a child. The directors juxtapose light-hearted and comedic vignettes to create an emotional roller coaster that even further engages the audience. Perhaps the best example of this is when one man talks about a relationship with a companion that he adores. The audience can only be surprised when a brown bear looms into the frame and is presented as the companion that the man was talking about. The man's conversation with his bear, Juuso, is moving: "Right Juuso. You were only a boy when we had our sauna. A very little boy… Left without washing, did you? Yes, that's right. The bear has become a real friend to me. It's an intelligent animal, learns very fast. And it is a true, loyal friend indeed. Right, another one gone. This is the name of the game." His story might not be the norm, but it further emphasizes the main theme of the documentary - every individual has a story that is incredible and completely unique to them.

'The Steam of Life' is a wonderful exploration of Finnish culture, as well as the deep complexities of the individual. I enjoyed the film thoroughly. The simplicity and rawness of the men talking about their lives was unique and refreshing, and it allowed the audience to connect deeply with the individuals in the film. I found myself completely immersed during the emotionally moving stories that were told, as well as amused by the lighter moments that were strewn throughout.

I would most certainly recommend this film. It is like no documentary I have ever seen before, and the audience is engaged throughout. Additionally, it communicates strong messages about the nature of life and humanity, and how we are all united by the complexities of our past experiences. 'The Steam of Life' is most certainly worth viewing. It is an emotional roller coaster for all involved.