
The twin sisters Helena and Irene are born in Helsinki during World War II. A few months later their mother, Sirkka, leaves the girls in the care of their grandmother, an old communist, and runs away with a German soldier. Their life under the protection of their grandmother and the teachings of communism ends first with the death of Stalin, then with that of their grandmother. The girls are eight years old when they are put in an orphanage. Their mother shows up at the orphanage in the company of Ramon, a Spanish trapeze artist. They are on a talent search for a German circus. Ramon trains the reluctant Irene during circus tours in Central Europe. She becomes the trapeze star of the circus. The hard work soon exhausts Irene and she falls from height, as if on purpose. Helena has secretly learned the art of fire-eating. Now she is burdened with both her mother and her sister. The violent life, however, separates the three from each other. In the present-day Helsinki the middle-aged...
Directed by Pirjo Honkasalo
Your score–
Not scoredImages
Cast
Related

Call Me Crazy: A Five Film

The Girl in the Book

I Believe in Unicorns

The Caveman's Valentine

TalhotBlond

Nothing Personal

A Question of Faith

Skin

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds

Eleanor the Great

What Maisie Knew

Sky

Normal

Won't Back Down

Helen

Waiting for Anya







