The silenced past of a World War II intelligence officer comes to light when his grandson, actor Joonas Saartamo, begins to investigate his grandfather Hannes Vehniäinen’s actions as a long-range reconnaissance patrol leader. As Saartamo meets various experts along his journey, a new picture emerges of the decisive role these patrols played in the war. He also comes to realize how deeply the burden of his grandfather’s wartime experiences has been passed down through generations, directly affecting him as well. This compelling documentary makes use of previously unseen archival wartime footage and distills, in a moving and respectful way, the significance of warfare and war veterans—not only for Finland’s independence, but for the personal identity of every Finn.
Feature documentary, 89min
dir. Ari Matikainen, prod. Ari Matikainen
