Zaida Bergroth; 2020; Finland; 150 min.; in Swedish and Finnish with English subtitles
In her native Finland and around the world, painter and author Tove Jansson (1914–2001) was beloved for her children’s books about a family of magical, hippopotamus-like creatures called “the Moomins.” This biopic zeroes in on a tumultuous decade in her life. After World War II ends, Tove finds herself at a pinnacle of artistic success, while also experiencing turmoil in her personal life as she pursues passionate and intimate relationships with a man and a woman: Atos Wirtanen, a left-wing member of the Finnish parliament, already married; and theatrical director Vivica Bandler, also married. The critically acclaimed TOVE was selected as the Finnish entry for Best International Feature at the 93rd Academy Awards.
CONTENT WARNINGS: VULGAR LANGUAGE, NUDITY, NON-EXPLICIT SEXUAL SITUATIONS