Homecoming

The film is set in the world of museums at a turning point when national museums must address their colonial history. Finland's National Museum returned thousands of everyday objects taken from the Sámi people to them.

Filmmaker Suvi West takes the audience behind the scenes and reveals a visual, philosophical and spiritual world. She seeks a connection with her ancestors through old museum objects and eventually reaches the collective pain points of the Sámi people. West wonders whether the returned objects can help a divided nation come to terms with past grief. How can one hear the voices of the ancestors, who have traditionally helped the Sámi people navigate life? And how can one confront a sacred drum that was taken by force and is traditionally considered unsuitable for photographing or touching, as it belongs only to its owner? As the dreamlike journey unfolds, she delves into the bloody past of the Sámi people and into a landscape of unresolved grief. The consequences of historical events are felt and made visible in the present. At the same time, West asks: how can one forgive? How can the harm caused by outsiders be repaired so that collective pain can finally be left behind?

The film is part of Filmfestivalen för mänskliga rättigheter. Read more about the festival here: MRFGöteborg - MRF

Directed by: Suvi West,

Ansi Kömi, running time 75 min, Norway 2023