FINLAND. Finnair has partnered with Finavia, the operator of Helsinki Airport, to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Finnair’s flights connecting East and West with a new short film, screened for the first time last night.
The film is the first such collaboration between an airline and an airport. It premiered in a special event at Helsinki Airport, where an aircraft hangar was turned into a movie theatre for one night only. Guests were hosted by Hollywood filmmaker Renny Harlin, one of the most sought-after directors in China.
To shoot the movie, Finnair and Finavia brought together two filmmakers from opposite sides of the world. The result is a 13-minute “branded entertainment” film, East and West Side Story, directed by Swedish director Johan Storm and Korean director Wookie (Young-wook Baek).
The two each shot their own perspective of an emotional story, written by screenwriter Danny Sangra. The lead roles were played by Scandinavian actress Anne Bergstedt (Boardwalk Empire, Black Swan) and Korean actor Jae Hoon (One Day Maybe).
The film has the theme of “meaningful encounters” that take place when people travel. East and West Side Story follows a famous writer in need of personal privacy, while the whole world wants to have her in the limelight. The story covers three continents, moving from the US to Korea and ending in Finland.
The short film is the third and final event of the Match Made in HEL concept series, a joint marketing campaign by Finnair and Finavia. In 2015, the first in the series turned Helsinki Airport into a skate park for professional skateboarders. In 2016, Finnair and Finavia held a fashion show with seven designers from Europe and Asia on the runway of Helsinki Airport.
Finnair Vice President Brand, Marketing and Customer Loyalty Johanna Jäkälä said: “Travel enriches people’s lives and opens new perspectives. We see this every day on our flights. Everyone travels for a reason – and all of us carry our own stories with us.
“The film is about how these stories change when you put yourself in someone else’s shoes, but also about the need for personal space. Something that is very Nordic.”
Finavia Senior Vice President Marketing, Communications and Customer Experience Katja Siberg said that Helsinki Airport is a “true crossroads for east and west” and that travelling unites people and cultures, increasing their understanding towards each other.
She added: “You always learn something new. Every day, we see at the airport how tens of thousands of people from different parts of the world meet each other and experience meaningful moments.
“Art, as a universal language, can also combine these two worlds uniquely, and a movie is a natural way for telling stories about these encounters. We are excited to soon share these airport moments with the world.”
Finnair connects 19 destinations in Asia and seven in North America to over 100 destinations in Europe via its Helsinki hub, and is undergoing the fastest growth phase of its history. This summer, the airline flew a record 97 flights per week to Asia.
