Woodcutter Pepe lives a happy, quiet life in a snow-covered Finnish village. He puts on a brave, if weather-beaten face after a chain of tragic events happen to him and continues to cling to hope even after losing his job due to the logging industry becoming more mechanised. Pepe crams his body, that is running on pure perseverance, into a bright red ski suit \u2013 luck has never been complicated, even if there\u2019s no rhyme or reason for anything that happens.<\/p>\n
You could describe Finnish director Mikko Myllylahti\u2019s film, which screened in competition at Cannes Critics’ Week, as a dark social comedy written by philosopher S\u00f8ren Kierkegaard and inspired by Fargo<\/i> (1996). Pepe, played by actor Jarkko Lahti (who starred in The Happiest Day In The Life Of Olli Maki<\/i>, 2016), is perhaps one of the most optimistic heroes in European cinema. The witty, light-hearted cinematography has absorbed many Finnish film tropes: strange, silent people in snow drifts, an ironic soundtrack, ice fishing, meaningful phrases uttered with a blank stare and, most importantly, death by axe.<\/p>\n","images":[{"ID":25922,"id":25922,"title":"THE WOODCUTTERS STORY STILL 1","filename":"1-scaled.jpg","filesize":784218,"url":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-scaled.jpg","alt":"","author":"21","description":"","caption":"","name":"c1ab1812b3d64c7f92938b0ccd307fae","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":25921,"date":"2022-08-16 14:08:41","modified":"2022-09-27 05:32:42","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2560,"height":1707,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-250x167.jpg","medium-width":250,"medium-height":167,"medium_large":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-1500x1000.jpg","large-width":900,"large-height":600,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-1536x1024.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-2048x1365.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"large1200":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-1200x800.jpg","large1200-width":1200,"large1200-height":800,"large1800":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-1800x1200.jpg","large1800-width":1800,"large1800-height":1200,"small":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-120x80.jpg","small-width":120,"small-height":80,"uncompressed":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-scaled.jpg","uncompressed-width":2560,"uncompressed-height":1707,"custom-size":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/1-700x200.jpg","custom-size-width":700,"custom-size-height":200}},{"ID":25923,"id":25923,"title":"2","filename":"2-scaled.jpg","filesize":1143573,"url":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2-scaled.jpg","alt":"","author":"21","description":"","caption":"","name":"2-18","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":25921,"date":"2022-08-16 14:09:12","modified":"2022-08-16 14:09:12","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2560,"height":1707,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2-250x167.jpg","medium-width":250,"medium-height":167,"medium_large":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2-1500x1000.jpg","large-width":900,"large-height":600,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2-1536x1024.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2-2048x1365.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1365,"large1200":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2-1200x800.jpg","large1200-width":1200,"large1200-height":800,"large1800":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2-1800x1200.jpg","large1800-width":1800,"large1800-height":1200,"small":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2-120x80.jpg","small-width":120,"small-height":80,"uncompressed":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2-scaled.jpg","uncompressed-width":2560,"uncompressed-height":1707,"custom-size":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/2-700x200.jpg","custom-size-width":700,"custom-size-height":200}},{"ID":25924,"id":25924,"title":"3","filename":"3-scaled.jpg","filesize":927250,"url":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-scaled.jpg","alt":"","author":"21","description":"","caption":"","name":"3-22","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":25921,"date":"2022-08-16 14:09:25","modified":"2022-08-16 14:09:25","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2560,"height":1679,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-250x164.jpg","medium-width":250,"medium-height":164,"medium_large":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-768x504.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":504,"large":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-1500x984.jpg","large-width":900,"large-height":590,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-1536x1007.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1007,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-2048x1343.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1343,"large1200":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-1200x787.jpg","large1200-width":1200,"large1200-height":787,"large1800":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-1800x1180.jpg","large1800-width":1800,"large1800-height":1180,"small":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-120x79.jpg","small-width":120,"small-height":79,"uncompressed":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-scaled.jpg","uncompressed-width":2560,"uncompressed-height":1679,"custom-size":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/3-700x200.jpg","custom-size-width":700,"custom-size-height":200}},{"ID":25925,"id":25925,"title":"4","filename":"4-scaled.jpg","filesize":736663,"url":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-scaled.jpg","link":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-scaled.jpg","alt":"","author":"21","description":"","caption":"","name":"4-15","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":25921,"date":"2022-08-16 14:09:48","modified":"2022-08-16 14:10:52","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":2560,"height":1707,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-150x150.jpg","thumbnail-width":150,"thumbnail-height":150,"medium":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-250x167.jpg","medium-width":250,"medium-height":167,"medium_large":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-768x512.jpg","medium_large-width":768,"medium_large-height":512,"large":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-1500x1000.jpg","large-width":900,"large-height":600,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-scaled.jpg","1536x1536-width":1536,"1536x1536-height":1024,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-scaled.jpg","2048x2048-width":2048,"2048x2048-height":1366,"large1200":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-scaled.jpg","large1200-width":1200,"large1200-height":800,"large1800":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-scaled.jpg","large1800-width":1800,"large1800-height":1200,"small":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-scaled.jpg","small-width":120,"small-height":80,"uncompressed":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-scaled.jpg","uncompressed-width":2560,"uncompressed-height":1707,"custom-size":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/4-scaled.jpg","custom-size-width":300,"custom-size-height":200}}],"in_cinemas":null,"on_demand":null,"not_available":null,"rights_expiry_date":null,"trailer_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/3ySXA2kaSsQ?t=4","film_category":"421","film_category_title":"Feature Film Competition","film_category_link":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/en\/programme-2022\/feature-film-competition\/","film_category_title_2":null,"film_category_link_2":null,"film_parent_select":false,"screenings":[{"month":"october","date":"22","end_date":"","time":"18:00","time_end":"","venue_url_languages":[{"type":"buy","sold_out":false,"closed":false,"free":false,"soon":false,"invitation_only":false,"accreditations_only":false,"guest_accreditations_only":false,"guest_notice_with_icon":"","venue":"spmz","url":"","bilesu_servisa_id":"367396","custom_tickets_url":"","apply_url":"","subtitle_language":[{"value":"en","label":"English (en)"}],"closed_captions_language":[],"audio_description_language":[],"audio_language":[{"value":"lv","label":"Latvian (lv)"}]}],"event_post_title":"The Woodcutter Story","event_post_url":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/en\/films-2022\/malkas-cirteja-stasts\/","event_parent_details":[]}],"screenings_from_prog":null,"screenings_merged":[{"month":"october","date":"22","end_date":"","time":"18:00","time_end":"","venue_url_languages":[{"type":"buy","sold_out":false,"closed":false,"free":false,"soon":false,"invitation_only":false,"accreditations_only":false,"guest_accreditations_only":false,"guest_notice_with_icon":"","venue":"spmz","url":"","bilesu_servisa_id":"367396","custom_tickets_url":"","apply_url":"","subtitle_language":[{"value":"en","label":"English (en)"}],"closed_captions_language":[],"audio_description_language":[],"audio_language":[{"value":"lv","label":"Latvian (lv)"}]}],"event_post_title":"The Woodcutter Story","event_post_url":"https:\/\/rigaiff.lv\/en\/films-2022\/malkas-cirteja-stasts\/","event_parent_details":[]}],"artist":null,"album":null,"custom_supporter_title":"","supporter":false,"supporter_from_parent":null,"supporter_from_parent_title":null,"curators_foreword":"A labyrinth of hilarious polar night clich\u00e9s that also possess something quietly affecting.","additional_content":"","jury_statement":false,"logo_on_image_text":"","logo_on_image_image":false,"available":false,"online_only":false,"poster":false,"available_until":"","geographical_availability":"latvia","geographical_availability_custom_short":"","geographical_availability_custom_long":"","subtitle_language_online":[],"cinesend_id":"","online_price":"","online_bs_id":"","collection_mode":null,"collection_screenings":null}