Once Upon a Time in a Forest

A multi-layered love story, this lyrical portrait follows 22-year-old Finnish climate activist Ida and her friends, all passionately devoted to preserving the forest. While they relish swimming in the crystalline lakes and embracing the ancient trees of their native woods, they are also unafraid to infiltrate corporate offices, shut down paper factories, and put their bodies in front of bulldozers. On their journey, they also find each other.

With stunning cinematography of Finland’s beautiful landscapes — think vast coniferous woods and magical snow forests — and an empathetic look at her young protagonists, director Virpi Suutari (Entrepreneur, ChicagoIFF 2019) steeps the viewer in the idealistic perspective of her subjects. And it’s impossible not to get swept up in their fervent mission. Immersive, engaging, and inspiring, Once Upon a Time in a Forest is a bittersweet ode to youthful dreams and our natural world, more under threat than ever before.

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