Name: Blondirundi: Feministinen manifesti
Genre: Documentary
Released: 1998-03-20
Duration: 49 min
Rating: 5.6
Cast: Rauno Hänninen, Karri Koivusilta, Pirkko-Liisa Lappi

All you ever needed to know about women - and more!

The world has Paris Hilton, Britney Spears and many other famous female wonders. However, years before them, in the late 1990's, Finland had Satu Lappi and her remarkably fair-headed friends. This documentary is the story of them.

Blondirundi introduces us Satu Lappi; an extrovert young lady who loves life and really believes that to get something you just have to want it badly enough. More narrow-minded people might say that you'd need things like talent if you want to start e.g. an acting career. But as Lappi says: "What? Of course you can act if you want to!" During the course of the documentary we see how she manages in a series of beauty contests called "Vuoden nainen 1997" (Woman of the Year 1997). In addition to Ms. Lappi, we also meet her friends Satu and Suski as well as contest organizers. We get a behind-the-scenes view of what skills are needed to organize such an event.

Ms. Lappi really has to be seen to be believed. Her views on life provided tabloids with cannon fodder for years until she finally seemed to get the point and disappeared from publicity. But not before she had been siliconized and Hustlered.

So what is this document about? Is it human stupidity? Or is the joke on us who buy tabloids and drool on the misfortunes of people who don't know better than to believe in that any publicity is good publicity? I really don't know. What I do know is that I've seen this film more than ten times with different audiences and it's a winner every single time.

Blondirundi and Ms. Lappi received a standing ovation at the Tampere film festival 1998. However, nowadays the availability of this documentary seems to be low; I don't know if it has ever been rerun since its first TV showing. I must thank my friend Markus who offered me a near-studio-quality copy for my 30th birthday along with the following aphorism: "This contains all you ever needed to know about women - and more!" If you ever get a chance to see Blondirundi with some friends, male or female, go for it. But I do recommend having alcohol nearby. You just might need it.

Finnish cinema is known for its minimalist style, dry humor, and reflective mood. It often explores loneliness, resilience, and human connection against stark northern landscapes. Finnish films balance melancholy and warmth, capturing the Nordic atmosphere through understated human drama and strong character focus.

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The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

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Blondirundi: Feministinen manifesti

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