When Heroes Lie – International premiere at world's biggest documentary film festival
Press release 15.10.2012
- When Heroes Lie in IDFA's "Reflecting Images – Masters" series and Arto Halonen as jury member for Festival's student competition
Following a frenzy of media attention and favorable reviews in Finland, the documentary feature film When Heroes Lie, directed by Arto Halonen (original title Sinivalkoinen valhe), has been chosen for the world's largest and arguably most important documentary film festival, IDFA. IDFA, the Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival, has selected the film for its "Reflecting Images - Masters" series. The Masters series presents the latest and most prominent works of internationally respected directors. In addition, the festival has invited Halonen to serve as a jury member for IDFA's student competition. Other members of the jury are Herman de Wit from the Netherlands and Vanya Kaludjercic from Croatia. This 25th IDFA will take place in Amsterdam from November 14 to 25. Last year the festival film screenings attracted over 200 000 spectators.
When Heroes Lie is Arto Halonen's fifth documentary film to be selected for IDFA's main series. Other Halonen films to have appeared in IDFA are: Karmapa - Two Ways of Divinity (1998, Reflection Images), The Stars' Caravan (2000, Joris Ivens competition), Pavlov's Dogs (2005, Joris Ivens competition) and Shadow of the Holy Book (2007, Joris Ivens competition).
When Heroes Lie delves into the Lahti 2001 World Cup skiing scandal in order to examine the sport-doping culture both in Finland and abroad. The story progresses from Finland to Italy, Norway and Sweden, and draws a picture of the doping-corrosion in elite-sport, where a corrupt system forces individual athletes and coaches to serve as scapegoats if they are caught doping.
The film has raised discussion on a variety of new issues, such as the cooperation between the pharmaceutical company Orion and the Finnish Ski Association in the late 90's, when Orion provided an infusion drug illegally for the Ski Federation's use. Among other things, the Orion case revealed gaps in the official oversight of pharmaceutical companies. Halonen therefore wrote an open letter to the Minister of Health and Social Services, Paula Risikko. Risikko has promised to hold a discussion on the Finnish Medicines Agency's supervision of the pharmaceutical industry, and to develop better cooperation between the Agency and the police. The discussion will be an attempt to review the current mechanisms for cooperation and possible needs for improving this cooperation where criminal conduct is suspected, as well as to improve the mechanisms for procedures in cases where a reasonable question exists as to whether the statute of limitations has passed.
The film is written by Halonen, along with Jouni K. Kemppainen and Kevin Frazier, with cinematography by Hannu-Pekka Vitikainen and Arto Halonen, editing by Antti Tuomikoski and Sanna Liinamaa, sound design by Martti Turunen, and music by Tapani Rinne.
The film started its theatrical run in Finland on the 5th of October 2012.
IDFA's website: www.idfa.nl
Press photos: www.filmikamari.fi
(username: press, password: noutaja)
Further information:
Art Films production AFP Ltd.
Merimiehenkatu 10
00150 Helsinki, Finland
Tel. +358 9 4159 3640
Tämä sähköpostiosoite on suojattu spamboteilta. Tarvitset JavaScript-tuen nähdäksesi sen.