The Cinematheque

Finland

“Joulumaa,” a perennially popular Finnish Christmas song, supplies the original Finnish-language title of writer-director Inari Niemi’s Wonderland, a female-centred relationship comedy. For miserable, middle-aged Helena, whose husband has left her for a younger woman, the upcoming Christmas season won’t be any wonderland. Best friend Ulli, riding to the rescue, talks Helena into spending Christmas together in the country, on a farm—pretty much the only place that is affordable and still available. Their hosts, wife Unna and husband Tuure, are recent refugees from the city trying to restart their lives and find happiness as organic farmers. As events take an unexpected turn over the course of the holidays, all the women find themselves facing life’s Big Questions.