Movie night in the cold outdoor, snow made theater & under the northern lights: Skábmagovat
A cold night, more than hundred of people were sitting in the snow made gallery, seating places managed with reindeer skins and all the eyes were watching silently the movies on the big screen, hard to describe how amazing it was. I am talking about the Skábmagovat- Indigenous Peoples’ Film Festival held in Inari of Finnish Lapland every year.
The open theater in the forest and made with snow, in the snow and surrounded with snow was the biggest attraction for me to be there. During the day time it was also snowing there and the place was looking so magical but at night it was more beautiful.
The best part of the festival was that all the movies and other programs were centered the indigenous peoples’ productions from Finland, Sweden, Norway, Canada and other places. The festival is also having more audiences every year. The panel discussions about the indigenous peoples’ rights and movements were also very interesting to follow. Concerts and side events were so great to enjoy and the whole festival atmosphere was just full of life.
Skábmagovat Film Festival is now a well known cultural event in the samiland. The open theater made in the snow and with the snow is just incredible. For me, it was a great experience to seat in the snow made gallery of the theater and watch movies in the big screen at the same time. This year in Skábmagovat was more than thirty film sessions and over sixty different films.
I did liked the Sami Blood movie a lot where it says the Sápmi life in the north. I must say, it touched my heart at the end and made me speechless.
it was great to see Niillas Holmberg and Sofia Jannok in the festival, the two top stars of the Sámi music world. I have seen their performances before as well and they are also my favourite artists.
You might be interested to know where is the northern lights as it said that the northern lights theater in the outdoor will give the opportunity to see the lady aurora dancing in the sky. Actually it happened right after the final ceremony. I left for home and on the way just after a short time i had to stop on the road. The magnificent show was incredible.
So, i had everything or more than enough from this wonderful festival.
Skábmagovat Film Festival 2019
Next year in 2019 the festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary and the spotlight for the festival is Arctic cinema. Anyone interested about the film festival or indigenous films should participate in this amazing program. During the last 20 years the festival itself became a prominent festival for the northern arctic region. Skábmagovat 2019 will take place in Inari on 24-27th of January. Skábmagovat will present Sámi and other indigenous films and TV programs.
Films will be shown in our Northern Lights Theater, which is rich in atmosphere: it is totally made of snow, with the sky as the roof. Films will also be presented in the auditoriums of Siida and the Sámi cultural center Sajos. For more about the next year event you can check Skabmagovat on Facebook.
Article by Jasim Sarker