To Show Silent Film from 1920s Sápmi With New Tunes

Norsk versjon.

The silent film By Sledge and Reindeer in Inka Länta's Winterland depicts Sámi's everyday life in Northern Sweden in the 1920s.

Now, three musicians from the Norwegian and Finnish sides of Sápmi – Lávre Johan Eira, Hildá Länsman, and Tuomas Norvio – will create a new framework for the film. The experienced Swedish musician Svante Henryson is also part of the team.

The silent film concert premiers on January 17th during the Tromsø International Film Festival (TIFF) in Northern Norway. 

More specifically, the 1926 film directed by Eirik Bergström shows scenes from reindeer husbandry, lavvu cooking, and the dynamics of the Jokkmokk market.

Little is known about Bergström, but one source says he was a "nomad school inspector" and, therefore, likely worked at a boarding school for Sámi children. The film also shows scenes from what is referred to as a "nomad school."

"We have invited Sámi musicians from the Barents region to lend their instruments and voices to the film through new music. This gives them the opportunity to compose a musical interpretation of a cinematic experience that can be seen as a portrayal of "the others", the Sámi," states TIFF.

Tension

By Sledge and Reindeer in Inka Länta's Winterland is characterized as a hybrid film blending documentary and staged scenes. While the story is fictional, the characters in the film use their real names. 

Lisa Hoen, Festival and Program Director of Tromsø International Film Festival. (Photo: Jamie Michael Bivard)

"Several scenes in the film appear as a documentary insight into Sámi life in the 1920s, something not often captured on film. However, many scenes are clearly staged. It raises questions for me: What is authentic, and what is exoticized?" says festival director Lisa Hoen and continues:

"For instance, there is a scene with a Swedish pastor. Does the relationship between Swedes and Sámi people here feel authentic, or has the director glossed over conflicts and mistreatment that occurred?" 

Through the project, supported by Barentskult, the Sámi musicians can add new input and context to the film and its content.

"Music plays a defining role in the film experience. Here, we have the chance to take archival material and reinterpret it through Sámi music," Hoen points out.

Mix of organization and impro

Eira and Länsman will be the musical leaders of the silent film concert.

He is a young Indigenous artist and musician from Kautokeino on the Norwegian side of Sápmi, and she is a Sámi singer, yoiker, and musician from Utsjok on the Finnish side of Sápmi. 

They see an opportunity to both interpret and comment on the film, but also to reflect more generally on films made about the Sámi people.

"The film is beautifully shot and has several sweet, personal scenes, but something that strikes me immediately is the familiar pattern of filmmakers creating documentaries about the Sámi people from an outsider's perspective," says Eira.

The duo wants to incorporate the film's staged and seemingly unscripted scenes into their music. Some concert segments will be composed, while others will be left open for exploration and improvisation.

"We’re curious to see how the musical dynamic will unfold and how we’ll use the various elements, like Henryson’s cello. We’re not classically trained in the traditional sense and will let our intuition guide our approach," says Eira.

Cultural heritage and modern elements

Traditional yoik is also an important keyword for the soundtrack Eira and Länsman will create with their co-musicians.

Eira's musical expression is strongly linked to the áami vocal tradition of yoik, and Länsman combines yoik with modern music and visual art.

Finnish Norvio is a sound designer and artist with a background in electronic music, while Swedish Henryson is a composer and offers strong skills in electrical bass, contrabass, and cello.

"We look forward to this musical collaboration, especially when we finally come together and start creating sound together," says Länsman.

All four have contributed to TIFF previously. Hildá & Tuomas played the festival's closing party in January 2024, partly accompanied by Eira. Henryson participated in a silent film project in 2016.

"Hildá & Tuomas, with Lávre as a guest, delivered a phenomenal concert experience. They uniquely blend Sámi traditional music with a modern and innovative expression, which fits TIFF perfectly," says Hoen.