Three generations come together under a single roof to celebrate the Christmas holiday. Grandma Ella has to take care of her daughters, son-in-laws, and grandchildren all on her own, without assistance from her alcoholic husband, Lasse. Meanwhile, Grandpa Lasse, constantly stirs up trouble. He drinks too much not to even manage to hold a spoon. He spends his days lying alone in bed, only to make a scene when his granddaughter Hilda starts singing a song for the family.
Family Time, a debut feature of Finish rookie director Tina Kouvo, stares at the lives of women shouldering the burden called family. The film employs minimal camera movement, focusing the lens on the silent efforts of these women. The film is divided into two parts: the first part depicts the fuss of the family during the holiday time, while the latter showcases the ordinary days of female characters after returning to their home. Kuovo pays special attention to the images of doors and windows, which seems to metaphor a fine line between the mutual understanding between family members and their ruptures. An expanded version of the director’s short film, Family Time was selected for the 2023 Berlinale Encounters, a section akin to Un Certain Regard of Festival de Cannes, and world premiered in Berlin. [BAE Dongmi]