Finnish movie Happier Times, Grump has been short-listed for Official Selection of Tiantan Award at this year's Beijing International Film Festival. Set against the backdrop of the charming countryside and landscape of Northern Europe, the film revolves around an amusing and touching story of a grandfather and his granddaughter. After the loss of his beloved wife, the grumpy grandpa is ready to die, but his death wish is interrupted by his troubled granddaughter Sofia. During his meticulous care for Sofia, the grouchy old geezer ultimately reconciles with this family and rediscovers meaning in his life.

　　The film is directed by renowned Finnish director Tiina Lymi, who was the recipient of a Jussi Award as the Best Leading Actress for her work in the film Akvaariorakkaus (Love in a Fish Bowl). This is the third comedy feature film created and directed by Lymi after she made her rounds in film, theatre and television. Hugely popular in its native Finland, Happier Times, Grump has been nominated for a slew of accolades at this year's Jussi Awards, the premier event of the film industry of Finland.

Heikki Kinnunen, who plays the role of the grumpy grandpa, has performed in 115 productions since 1965 and is widely regarded as a prolific and seasoned Finnish actor. His superb performance as the seemingly stone-cold and ill-tempered grandpa with a heart full of tenderness is realistic, natural and lifelike, giving the character a brilliantly comedic quality.

　　Grandpa doesn't like to talk or smile, but when he scolds he roars like a bear that has "rage" written all over over it. He is relentlessly tormented by his tricksy and unmarried but pregnant granddaughter, but can't help himself and keeps on helping her and caring for her. Grandpa looks to be cold, unapproachable and heartless, but he hangs a lock of his deceased wife's hair in his car as a memento. From willingly stepping into one's grave to choosing to continue with life, the heartwarming homecoming of the cranky old man is an interesting turning point and comic relief in the movie.

　　The score is also quite diverse, from the beats of modern electronic music to leisurely and relaxing guitars and violins, alongside traditional Finnish folk tunes. The combination of music of varying styles and genres accentuates the playful rhythm of the entire film and adds a natural flow to the story.

　　One of the film's major focal points is contemplations about the circle of life. The granddaughter is unmarried but pregnant, and this unexpected new life strikes at the very core of the dispute that has spread through three generations of the family, yet also embodies the most intricate form of conflict resolution. The film adopts the point of view of a senior in revealing the family crisis of modern societies - the lack of care for the old and the young. How the stubborn father-and-son break down the barrier between them, how the distant father-and-daughter relationship is mended, the convoluted kinship issues that have hampered three generations, the restart of everything due to a newborn, the subsequent redefinition, the fabric and continuation of life are filled with delicate and intricate emotions, but also the harshness of reality. Life becomes the source of hope, the bond of kinship is magical, as the dejected grandfather prepares for his own death, his new and timely understanding about life propels him to turn his own coffin into a baby's cot.

　　Life comes and goes, but just as the quote “people play hide and seek to be found” from the film, perhaps the quintessence of love is the feeling of being needed, while the quintessence of life is hidden in life's ordinariness.

　　【Screening info】

　　16:45, April 18 (Thur), Emperor Cinema (includes meeting with main creators)