Oma maa

Land of Hope is a story about the perseverance of young, forbidden love under tumultuous circumstances. A tribute to the women who often had to take the reins after the battle to create a home and family with war-torn men, the film spans seven years from the end of World War II in 1945 to the Helsinki Olympic Year of 1952. Fleeing her home, Anni leaves her disapproving family after falling in love with a Soviet soldier, Veikko, who also played a role in her brother’s death on the warfront. When the war was over, many refugees and warlords were given the land to build farms with the help of the state. The government gives to Anni and Veikko a so-called cold “farm,” an uncleared plot of land where the young couple starts to build their new home from scratch, putting love to the test. Their story is told against the backdrop of the post-war resettlement of evacuees, war veterans and disabled soldiers in different areas in Finland. (Santa Barbara International Film Festival)