"I
am interested in how groups function and
how they are formed. What means are used,
and which side of the fence one stands
on," says Finnish director Auli
Mantila, whose first feature, Neitoperho
(The Collector), unspooled
at Venice, while her second, Pelon
Maantiede (The Geography Of
Fear), is screening in the Forum.
The
story of eight women who are driven to
revenge by their mistreatment at the hands
of men, Pelon Maantiede
starts with the investigation of a drowned
man drifting ashore near Helsinki. Oili,
a forensic dentist, and her detective
lover, Eero, soon realise that the mystery
is part of a subtle plan.
Based
on Anja Kauranen's novel, though with
fewer killings, Pelon Maantiede
explores the themes of relationships
and mutual respect between the sexes.
"The
violent events in the film could happen
when women get tired of yielding and
tolerating," Mantila concludes.
Jørn Rossing
Jensen
by
Auli
Mantila