The Finnish Labour Temple opened in March 1910, but this workers' hall was a temple of a different sort, one where political, rather than religious devotion, was practiced. Under the Red Star tells the story of union organizers, strong minded women, athletic children, actors and even poets.
Under the Red Star is a feature length docu-drama, in Finnish and English, about the vibrant culture and politics at the heart of Canada’s most significant labour hall in Thunder Bay, Ontario. In its early days, it was inseparably linked to the activities of Canadian labour and the left. The Big Finn Hall was a place where culture and politics came together and that is why the main protagonists are radicals and poets: Sanna Kannasto, Tom Hill and Aku Päiviö.
This film seamlessly integrates archival footage, photos and fictionalized scenes shot on 16 mm film to bring to life the lively and dramatic past of the early years of Finnish immigration to Canada. Under the Red Star tells the story of the struggle for a just society in early twentieth century Canada. Director Kelly Saxberg in Person at Screening.
Trailer: http://vimeo.com/29157454
Web site: http://shebafilms2.wordpress.com/
Social media: https://www.facebook.com/UnderTheRedStar