Mika Suvanto

HC Andersen

2017 Finland
56min • Finnish
K12
Theme: Rokumentti selection
18.11.2017 | Time: 19.00 | Venue: Tapio 3 | BUY TICKET

For shits and giggles

HC Andersen is one of the key figures in the rock'n'roll history of Joensuu. The punk band's raw power was both hardcore and loads of fun, and to this day the legendary group remains deeply rooted in the hearts of the audience. That's why Pakke Pakarinen, Jake Romppanen, Teho Majamäki and Ema Hurskainen decided to get together and revisit the punk catalogue of their boyhood years, with the long-time HC Andersen fan Paleface taking over the duties of the late vocalist Ville Mäntynen.

The new documentary kicks off with relaxed recollections of the band's formation and active years. The now grown men regard their past blunders with tenderness, and thanks to the years gone by and praise from the outside, they can now give full value to their own doings and see themselves as a part of the bigger picture. The tone thickens when the musicians finally start preparing for the comeback gig at Ilosaarirock - and when the inner tensions start building up, they also reflect on the outside. The last minutes of the film powerfully demonstrate everything HC Andersen really always was about.