Riddu Riđđu in collaboration with Tromsø International film festival presents:

Documentary by Suvi West: Máhccan - Homecoming

Finally, the Sámi people are to reclaim their ancestors' heritage. How can the damages caused by outsiders be repaired so that collective wounds can heal? Filmmaker Suvi West takes us behind the scenes in the world of museums, on a visual, philosophical, and spiritual journey.

The emotional consequences of being deprived of belongings, important cultural and spiritual symbols, and even the remains of their ancestors are profound and far-reaching. In the world of museums, debates about cultural diversity, truth, and reconciliation are sparking much-needed change. The Finnish National Museum's Sámi collection of thousands of Sámi artifacts is on its way back to Sápmi, but the sacred drums remain stuck in museums across Europe.

In this personal documentary, the filmmakers seek a connection with their ancestors through the ancient museum objects, ultimately reaching the collective pain points of the Sámi people. They aim to confront this pain and break the external portrayal of the Sámi, not only for themselves but for the Sámi people and the larger society.
 
 

MEET THE DIRECTOR
Suvi West is an award-winning director and scriptwriter. She has directed several short films and feature documentaries Me and My Little Sister (2016) and Eatnameamet - Our Silent Struggle (2021). In 2019 she was selected to be one of the directors present at the Venice Biennale in Finland’s pavilion. Suvi will be present at the screening and will participate in a Q&A session in conversation with TIFF's Film from the North program manager Astrid Aure.

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