Crip Ciné Opening Film is the captivating Patrice: The Movie – Horror Special crowned by a live performance by punk guitarist Pertti Kurikka’s alter ego, Kalevi Helvetti
The opening film will be the American documentary Patrice: The Movie, directed by Ted Passon. This socially current film highlights the injustices faced by disabled individuals, but at the same time, it also showcases the protagonist's overflowing creativity and relentless optimism.
One of the festival’s highlights is A Different Man, directed by Aaron Schimberg, for which Sebastian Stan won the Best Actor Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and a Golden Globe Award in the comedy category. However, the true star of Schimberg's films is the British actor and disability activist Adam Pearson, who gained recognition from Jonathan Glazer's film Under the Skin. Schimberg and Pearson’s collaboration is also seen in their earlier work, Chained for Life, which will be screened in Finland for the first time!
The Crip Ciné programme also features a horror special, Sam & Mattie Make a Zombie Movie, an inspiring documentary about two Down syndrome friends who want to make a zombie film. The fast-paced documentary about filmmaking centers on Sam and Mattie’s wild visions and the joy of creating, but it is also a fun, exciting, and informative crash course in indie film production and distribution. Along the way, they promote the film, including on Conan O’Brien’s talk show. The horror special is crowned by a live performance by punk guitarist Pertti Kurikka’s chilling alter ego, Kalevi Helvetti.
One of the festival's central themes is also to celebrate disabled artists. This theme will be discussed on Wednesday, April 16th, in a panel discussion at Oodi’s Maijansali, featuring poet Sanni Purhonen, dancer Maija Karhunen, and poet Isa Hukka.
The festival is organized on 12–16 April, 2025. Full programme can be viewed here: espoocine.fi/en/crip-cine-films
