Giant's Kettle
Somewhere up north at the age of peak reason there is a man longing for connection but unable to break loose, and a woman feeling alien to the world which has everything figured out for her, without her.
They make their best to fit in and fulfill their roles. But something important is missing, as if the whole world was drained of love. During the family trip back to the past the surreal takes over and everything starts to break apart.
Giant’s Kettle is a love story without love, a cinematic journey into the unconscious, an epic tragicomedy of the mundane, and a mystery in a world emptied of mystery.
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Markku HakalaDirector
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Mari KäkiDirector
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Markku HakalaWriter
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Mari KäkiProducer
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Henri MalkkiKey Cast
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Kirsi PaananenKey Cast
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Atte VuoriKey Cast
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Markku HakalaSound
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Ari KaremaSound
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Jaakko NiemeläSound
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Paula-Leena JokitieCostume Design
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Markku HakalaCinematography
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Markku HakalaEditing
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Project Title (Original Language):Hiidenkirnu
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Project Type:Experimental, Feature
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Genres:Slow Cinema, Arthouse, Post Drama, Experimental
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Runtime:1 hour 11 minutes
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Completion Date:September 17, 2023
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Country of Origin:Finland
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Country of Filming:Finland
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Language:No Dialogue
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Black & White
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:No
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Digital Cinema Package:Unavailable
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Tallinn Black Nights Film FestivalTallinn
Estonia
November 17, 2023
International Premiere
1st Feature Competition -
CinequestSan Jose, California
United States
March 16, 2024
North American Premiere -
Girona Film FestivalGirona
Spain
November 9, 2024
Best Debut Film -
Ann Arbor Film FestivalAnn Arbor
United States
March 31, 2024
Official Competition -
Art of Brooklyn Film FestivalNew York
United States
June 6, 2024
Outstanding Cinematography Award -
Ashland Independent Film FestivalAshland
United States
October 3, 2024
Special Jury Recognition Award -
New Jersey Film FestivalNew Brunswick
United States
February 8, 2025
Best Feature Film -
Sound Screen Film FestivalRavenna
Italy
September 24, 2024
Best Director Award -
Prague Independent Film FestivalPrague
Czech Republic
September 15, 2024
Best Director Award, Best Experimental Film Award -
Manchester Film FestivalManchester
United Kingdom
March 21, 2024
Official Competition -
Ars IndependentKatowice
Poland
October 11, 2024
Official Competition -
North East International Film FestivalNewcastle
United Kingdom
November 23, 2024
Official Competition -
Blow-up Arthouse Film Fest 2024Chicago
United States
Founder's L'Eclisse Award -
Experimental BrasilRio de Janeiro
Brazil
Best Experimental Film, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Design, Best Editing, Best Actress -
Atlanta Film FestivalAtlanta
United States
April 26, 2025 -
Xposure Photography & Film FestivalSharjah
United Arab Emirates
February 21, 2025
Cinematic Arts Award, Runner-up -
MonteCine World Film FestivalMontevideo
Uruguay
Best Experimental Film -
'AVIFF' le festival du film d'artisteMarseille
France
Official Competition -
41st Asolo Art Film FestivalAsolo
Italy
June 8, 2025
Best Artistic Film -
Venice Film WeekVenice
Italy
August 11, 2025
Best Experimental Film
Markku Hakala, M.Sc, b.1975, is a Finnish artist/filmmaker exploring cinema as a medium of intuition. For six years he worked duo with his parner Mari Käki on his first feature Giant’s Kettle, which was introduced at Tallinn Black Nights, was awarded as The Best Debut Film at Festival de Cinema de Girona 2024, and has brought him multiple awards for direction, cinematography and sound design. Prior to films he has also worked as a computer science researcher and entrepreneur.
Mari Käki, M.A., is a creative coach and professional supervisor working in the field of media and education. Since 2020 she has been teaching leadership and group dynamics for upcoming filmmakers as a visiting lecturer at the Aalto University film school, Finland. Giant’s Kettle is also her first feature.
We advocate cinema as a medium of intuition and explore film as a more personal form of art more akin to fine arts and photography. We make use of the all the latest digital technology to move the mountains needed along our way. We do this because we believe a new world needs to be built, not on stories but intuition. Let us explain...
The trailer of our film summaries the world we live in as follows:
The past forbidden,
the future foreknown,
the present concealed.
But what does this mean?
By renouncing parts of ourselves (the past forbidden) we come to exist as separate beings, from others, the world and the self. Operating from this egoic state of knowing results in not seeing what is (the present concealed) and the repetition and reinforcement of patterns and power structures (the future foreknown).
But every time we turn a blind eye to what is – that’s when the renounced gains mass. The spiritual awakening is to unite with the Giant, to surrender to the unknown.
For the film making process,
this means acknowledging that we don’t know what we are doing. The artist must suspend their knowing and surrender to the process. If they have been successful in this, connecting to a deeper form of knowing beneath the egoic ideas, then
for the viewer,
there’s a feeling of suspense. The viewer too attempts to know, but is eventually taken to the a place where knowing is no longer possible. What is bubbling under the surface is the concealed meaning ready to be contacted by letting go.
For the character(s) of the film,
letting go is not an option. They make their best to supress their spontaneity and function in the often insane world of rationality. For them too, the unity with the Giant is up for grabs pending surrender, a metamorphosis.
This is true
for the civilization as a whole.
The life on the planet is in abeyance, waiting for a new ruler. As long as there is still hope of business as usual there will be business as usual.
To suspend
to surrender,
to lose all hope.
This is our statement as expressed by and within the film Giant’s Kettle. The characters of the film are lost. They do not know, but they attempt to appear as if they do. The place of not-knowing is uncomfortable and scary. There is a leap of faith to be taken. For the viewer this is possible only if they feel safe with the film. That sets a high bar for the film maker. They need to be brave enough to make the leap first. Or else the audience will not follow.
Have we been able to? Do you feel safe with the film?
Yours,
Markku & Mari