Jeʹvida

{{Infobox film

| name = Jeʹvida

| native_name =

| image = Je'vida.jpg

| caption = Finnish film poster

| director = Katja Gauriloff

| producer = Joonas Berghäll
Satu Majava
Anna Nuru

| writer = Katja Gauriloff
Niillas Holmberg

| starring = Agafia Niemenmaa
Heidi U'lljan Gauriloff
Sanna-Kaisa Palo

| cinematography = Tuomo Hutri

| editing = Timo Peltola

| music = Lau Nau

| production_companies = Oktober

| distributor = Future Film (Finland)

| country = Finland

| language = Skolt Sámi{{cite web | url= https://hiff.fi/elokuvat/jevida/ | title= Je'vida | last= Schroeder | first= Kira | publisher= Rakkautta & Anarkiaa | access-date= 20 October 2023 | language= fi | archive-date= 20 October 2023 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20231020145110/https://hiff.fi/elokuvat/jevida/ | url-status= dead }}
Finnish

| runtime = 103 min

| released = {{Film date|2023|6|9|Tribeca Festival|2023|9|13|TIFF|2023|10|20|Finland|df=y}}

}}

Jeʹvida is a 2023 Finnish Skolt Sámi–language drama film written and directed by Katja Gauriloff. The film describes the life of a Skolt Sámi woman called Jeʹvida during the period when her people were being forcibly assimilated into Finnish society,{{cite web| url= https://www.ses.fi/en/story/jevida-the-first-skolt-sami-feature-film-to-premiere-in-tribeca/ | title= Je'vida, the first Skolt Sámi feature film, to premiere in Tribeca | publisher= Finnish Film Foundation | access-date= 24 October 2023 | date = 19 April 2023 |quote=Directed by Katja Gauriloff, the film sheds light on the meaning of culture, language and memories, and above all, on the community of the Skolt Sámi in the era of forced assimilation.}} while following the life of Jeʹvida in three different periods.

Background

Jeʹvida is the first feature film shot in the Skolt Sámi language.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/katja-gauriloff-jevida-toronto-1235719608/amp/|title=Katja Gauriloff Makes History With 'Jeʹvida,' the First Feature Shot in the Skolt Sámi Language: 'My Mother Never Let Me Forget'|first=Marta|last=Bałaga|work=Variety|date=11 September 2023|access-date=20 October 2023}} It received monetary support from the International Sámi Film Institute and the Finnish Film Foundation in 2021.{{Cite news |date=25 June 2021 |work=Ávvir |volume=14 |issue=114 |page=8 |title=Dieđut: Filmmat mat leat ožžon doarjaga Internašunála Sámi Filbmainstituhtas dán jagi |trans-title=Info: Films that have received support from the International Sámi Film Institute this year |language=Northern Sami}}{{Cite news |last=Kelemeny |first=Sara |date=21 October 2021 |work=The Barents Observer |title=World's first feature film in the Skolt Sámi language gets €800,000 – Director Katja Gauriloff is glad, but worried for the field |url=https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/indigenous-peoples/2021/10/worlds-first-feature-film-skolt-sami-language-gets-eu800000-director}}

In the film, Gauriloff depicts the discrimination and forced assimilation the Skolts experienced and the resulting mental trauma that still affects them.{{cite web|url= https://yle.fi/a/74-20054173 |title= Ensimmäinen kokopitkä kolttasaamelainen elokuva Je'vida saa pian Suomen ensi-iltansa – ohjaaja odottaa palautetta jännittyneenä |last= Tynkkynen |first= Jyri |work=Yle Uutiset |date=9 October 2023 | access-date=31 October 2023 | language = fi}} The director, who is also Skolt, had similar experiences in her childhood.{{cite web|url=https://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/art-2000009914749.html|title=Ohjaaja Katja Gauriloff menetti lapsena äidinkielensä, koska hänelle puhuttiin vain suomea |first=Mikko-Pekka|last=Heikkinen|work=Helsingin Sanomat|date=19 October 2023|access-date=20 October 2023|language=fi}}

Plot summary

A chain-smoking elderly Iida ({{ill|Sanna-Kaisa Palo|fi}}) and her relative Sanna (Seidi Haarla) drive to Lapland to look at an inherited family house, with the intention of cleaning it up to prepare the house for sale. After arriving at the location, the house and its surroundings start to evoke painful memories in Iida, who has experienced mistreatment and forced assimilation into Finnish culture due to her being Skolt Sámi. Iida's mind dives deeper into the secrets of the past and she rediscovers her true self, Jeʹvida.

Cast

Agafia Niemenmaa as young Jeʹvida
Heidi Uʹlljan Gauriloff as the young adult Jeʹvida/Iida
Sanna-Kaisa Palo as the older Jeʹvida/Iida
Heini Wesslin as Jeʹvida's mother
Erkki Gauriloff as Jeʹvida's grandfather
Matleena Fofonoff as Jeʹvida's grandmother
Jarkko Lahti as the teacher
Seidi Haarla as Sanna

Reception

The film had its world premiere in June 2023 at the Tribeca Festival in New York.{{cite web|url=https://tribecafilm.com/films/je-vida-2023|title=Je'vida|publisher=Tribeca Festival|access-date=20 October 2023}}{{cite web|url= https://www.epressi.com/tiedotteet/kulttuuri-ja-taide/katja-gauriloffin-jevida-on-valittu-toronton-elokuvafestivaalille.html |title= Katja Gauriloffin Je'vida on valittu Toronton elokuvafestivaalille |publisher= Future Film | website= epressi.com |date= 10 August 2023 |access-date=20 October 2023 | language = fi}}{{cite web|url= https://yle.fi/a/74-20037001 |title= Koltansaamenkielinen fiktioelokuva Je'vida hurmasi yleisönsä mutta ei voittanut Tribecan elokuvafestivaalilla |work=Yle |date=16 June 2023 | access-date=20 October 2023 | language = fi}}{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/a/74-20028110|title=Jeʹvida-fiiʹlm vueiʹvvroolin toobdâs nõõm sääʹmõutstõõzzâst da lääʹdd fiʹlmm-maaiʹlmest – fiiʹlm maaiʹlm vuõssjeäʹǩǩääž ǩieʹssmannust New Yoorkâst|work=Yle Säämi|date=20 April 2023|last=Fofonoff|first=Suvi-Tuuli|access-date=20 October 2023 | language = sms}}{{cite web|url=https://yle.fi/a/74-20011940/64-3-149153|title=Je'vida máilmmi vuosttas eahkedii geassemánus New Yorkas|work=Yle Säämi|date=20 April 2023|last=Paltto|first=Anni-Saara|access-date=20 October 2023 | language = se}} The film was also shown at the Toronto Film Festival in September of the same year.{{cite web|url= https://www.ses.fi/ajankohtaista/huippuvuosi-suomalais-ja-saamelaiselokuvalle-torontossa/ |title=Huippuvuosi suomalais- ja saamelaiselokuvalle Torontossa |publisher=Finnish Film Foundation |access-date=20 October 2023 | language = fi}} It was one of three Sámi films present at the festival.{{Cite news |last=Gavrilov |first=Sergey |date=15 August 2023 |work=Ávvir |volume=16 |issue=150 |page=8-9 |title=Su persovnnalaš muitalusa čájehit stuora filbmafestiválas Torontos. |trans-title=Showing Her Personal Story at Large Film Festival in Toronto |language=Northern Sami}}

{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|83|7.10|6}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/jevida|title=Je'vida|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=October 21, 2023}}

Aki Lehti from {{ill|Muropaketti|fi}} gives the film a rating of 4½ stars out of 5, saying that the film is a "sadly beautiful and touching work of art, a really necessary film about a silent subject."{{cite web|url=https://muropaketti.com/elokuvat/elokuva-arvostelut/pika-arvio-jevida-on-pieni-ihme-ja-vuoden-parhaimpia-kotimaisia-elokuvia/|title=Pika-arvio: Je'vida on pieni ihme ja vuoden parhaimpia kotimaisia elokuvia|first=Aki|last=Lehti|work=Muropaketti|date=11 June 2023|access-date=21 October 2023|language=fi}} Niina Oisalo of {{ill|Film-O-Holic|fi|Film-O-Holic.com}} gives 4 stars out of 5, describing the film as "a skillfully executed magical realist drama", adding that "the film's breathy, natural rhythm brings out the bonds that unite generations without unnecessary explanation."{{cite web|url=https://www.film-o-holic.com/arvostelut/jevida/|first=Niina|last=Oisalo|title=Je'vida|work=Film-O-Holic|date=20 October 2023|access-date=21 October 2023|language=fi}} Niko Ikonen from {{ill|Episodi|fi|Episodi (lehti)}} gives the film 3 stars out of 5, comparing the film's subject to the 2016 Swedish film Sami Blood, saying that "unfortunately, Jeʹvida doesn't really get its message across, and the film's script does not support the weight of such a heavy and multifaceted subject."{{cite web|url=https://www.episodi.fi/elokuvat/jevida/|title=Je'vida|first=Niko|last=Ikonen|work=Episodi|date=19 October 2023|access-date=21 October 2023|language=fi}}