Scanorama

November 5 - 22

2026

Open My Festival
Real Life

Ruthless Times – Songs of Care

1 hr. 32 min. | Documentary | N-7

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A choir of tired nurses sing to Anna-Mari Kähärä’s hypnotic tunes about the truths of everyday nursing work in a musical documentary directed by Susanna Helke and co-scripted by Helke and Markku Heikkinen. The film is new in its format, and jolting in its message. It is a cinematic-musical work of activism, calling for more humane work, life and old age.

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Susanna Helke

Susanna Helke

Susanna Helke is an Award-winning documentary film director and screenwriter, film theorist, Doctor of Arts and an associate professor at Aalto University. Helke’s films have been featured at numerous festivals around the world. Her solo directorial efforts include the short documentary Playground (2010) as well as American Vagabond (2013). Helke began her filmmaking career by co-directing with Virpi Suutari.
Languages
Finnish
Subtitles
Lithuanian, English
Original title
Armotonta menoa – Hoivatyön lauluja
Produced
2022: Finland

Film information

Director
Susanna Helke
Producers
Timo Korhonen
Screenplay
Markku Heikkinen, Susanna Helke
Music
Anna-Mari Kähärä
Cinematography
Sari Aaltonen
More information
www.imdb.com

Screenings

Saturday, 12 November

16:40

Forum Cinemas Vingis · 9

Past screening

Sunday, 13 November

14:30

Forum Cinemas Vingis · 9

Past screening

Tuesday, 15 November

16:40

Forum Cinemas Vingis · 9

Past screening

Tuesday, 15 November

17:00

Forum Cinemas Kaune · 3

Past screening

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