Kristiina Karsten

Middle-aged priest Late Mäntylä has realized that having a beard allows them to reflect their inner self more authentically through their outward appearance. Makeup artist Kata Launonen has offered to show Late how to create one. The afternoon spent in the beauty salon represents the culmination of Late’s life-long journey of becoming themself.

Welcome to the garden. The late summer sun has ripened the fruits in the apple trees. The landscape is reminiscent of Eden. The summery apple orchard creates the background for the BDSM sessions of the five main characters and their meditations on the meaning of being kinky. Trust, play, and joy are at the centre of the documentary. A playmate can transform from a tea party table to a ride in an instant. New uses are found for the shovel, familiar from the sandbox. The viewer gets close to something truly intimate. You can almost feel the touch on your skin. The camera’s gaze is gentle and observant. The red latex shines in the light of the setting sun.

Deus Twesigye from Uganda was leaving for work one morning in 2010 when his ex-girlfriend threw acid on him. A Burning Voice combines Deus’ dance and movement, narration and poetry with subtle images of everyday life in Uganda, creating a multilayered film exploring different sides of surviving violence and trauma.