4 min read • 618 words
Introduction
Finnish filmmaker Alli Haapasalo, fresh from the global success of ‘Girl Picture,’ has turned her lens to the past. Her new period drama, ‘Tell Everyone,’ premiering at Göteborg, is set in 1898. Yet, its exploration of silenced female pain resonates with a chilling urgency in today’s world, proving some societal battles are tragically timeless.
Bridging the Temporal Divide
Haapasalo’s deliberate leap to the late 19th century is not an escape but a confrontation. ‘Tell Everyone’ delves into a historical case of systemic female suffering, unflinchingly examining the mechanisms used to suppress women’s voices. The director’s research revealed a disturbing parallel. The emotional and societal constraints faced by her characters felt eerily familiar, blurring the line between period piece and contemporary mirror.
The Haunting Relevance of History
‘That’s the saddest part of the story – it’s just as relevant,’ Haapasalo notes, reflecting on the film’s core theme. This isn’t merely a costume drama but a deliberate act of historical echo-location. The film argues that the architecture of silencing women—through social shame, institutional doubt, and cultural dismissal—has seen frustratingly little structural change over 125 years.
From ‘Girl Picture’ to a Grander Canvas
Following the intimate, modern-day portrait of teenage girls in ‘Girl Picture,’ Haapasalo expands her scope while refining her focus. Her commitment to authentic female narratives remains steadfast. This new project leverages the distance of history to universalize its message, using the specific details of 1898 Scandinavia to tell a story that transcends borders and generations.
Crafting Authenticity in a Period Setting
The production of ‘Tell Everyone’ required meticulous historical immersion. From the restrictive costumes to the subdued, naturalistic lighting of a Nordic winter, every detail was designed to ground the audience in the era’s reality. This authenticity is crucial, making the emotional journeys of the characters feel immediate rather than antiquated, and their struggles more poignant.
The Power of the Unsaid
The film’s title, ‘Tell Everyone,’ serves as a powerful, ironic command. It highlights the central conflict: the monumental risk and radical act of speaking out against injustice. Haapasalo explores not just the act of testimony itself, but the immense personal cost and societal backlash that often follows, a dynamic as potent now as it was then.
A Trailer That Hints at Silence and Sound
The recently released trailer for the film masterfully sets this tense, atmospheric tone. It suggests a world of whispered secrets and oppressive quiet, punctuated by moments of desperate courage. The visuals promise a film that is both visually arresting and emotionally charged, a historical investigation with the pace of a psychological thriller.
Göteborg as the Perfect Stage
The Göteborg Film Festival, known for championing Nordic cinema and bold storytelling, provides an ideal launchpad. The festival’s audience, attuned to nuanced social dramas, is poised to engage deeply with Haapasalo’s work. This premiere positions ‘Tell Everyone’ as a significant entry in the new wave of European historical filmmaking that speaks directly to the present.
Context: A New Wave of Feminist Period Pieces
Haapasalo’s film joins a compelling movement in international cinema. Films like ‘The Lost Daughter’ and ‘The World to Come’ similarly use period settings to explore timeless female interiority. This trend rejects simplistic nostalgia, instead using the past as a diagnostic tool to examine persistent power imbalances and the enduring fight for agency.
Conclusion: An Unflinching Look Forward by Looking Back
‘Tell Everyone’ is more than a history lesson; it is a catalyst for conversation. By holding a dark mirror from 1898 up to our modern world, Alli Haapasalo challenges audiences to recognize the echoes of the past in today’s headlines. The film’s power lies in its unsettling suggestion that true progress requires first acknowledging how much has stubbornly, painfully, remained the same.
