‘Finlandia’ – the perplexity of life

The Indian International Centre, along with the Mexican Embassy, will bring out a heartfelt story of the ‘Muxes’ tribe in a 97-minute film named Finlandia that will premiere on Monday.

The collaboration is said to be an ode to the ongoing Pride Month, as well as, an earnest attempt to highlight community stories.

The story of the film revolves around a small town outside of Oaxaca where a group of Muxes, third-gender and non-binary people, make a living sewing and looking after their elders.

Parallel to this, fashion designers in Spain plot a plan to appropriate the traditional dresses that the Muxes create.

The film follows the highs and lows of the Muxes, indulging in their intoxicating culture and grieving their lost loves, all in the beautiful setting of rural Mexico.

As tragedy strikes, the importance of kinship and chosen family is reverberated across the town.

Finlandia promises to delve into an intriguing intersection of colonization, capitalism, and the fashion industry. Something that the viewers don’t get to witness very often.

Finlandia, Director Horacio Alcala’s feature debut in 2021, has been widely praised for its sensitive treatment of gender and appropriation.

According to Alcala, “Finland is a visual triumph rife with aching performances. But perhaps most importantly of all, it serves as a compelling glimpse into an underseen part of the vast (and exquisitely embroidered) fabric of queer culture.”

The film was nominated for several awards, including Best Feature Film at the Outshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival, and the director, Horacio Alcala, was nominated for Best Director at the Seattle Film Festival in 2022.

The film with English subtitles will be screened on June 26 and entry will be free of cost.

When: 6:30pm, June 26

Where: IIC Art Gallery, C.D Deshmukh Auditorium