When shy Finns pick up the microphone something extraordinary happens: singers come alive and show their true emotions. The stories of five people intertwine, opening a door to a hidden paradise, Finnish karaoke, where everyone is accepted and gets a round of applause.
Selected for the 2022 European Film Awards. $5.
TRAILER
SYNOPSIS
Evi, Finland’s most experienced karaoke hostess, is like an angel. Night after night she packs her karaoke equipment and drives hundreds of kilometres through the northern landscapes of Finland. On her way she meets people who grab the microphone and sing about their love and loss.
When Toni, the shyest guy in the world, sings, he catches everyone's eyes and becomes free. Kari searches for love and sings about it in his own karaoke car repair shop. Elina can hardly walk because of Parkinson's, but punk songs make her soul fly. Laura sings because talking is too painful.
Karaoke Paradise is a story about how Finns have found a unique and empowering way out of dark winters and the threat of loneliness. Karaoke is the best thing that ever happened to Finland!
Documentary, 75 minutes, Finland
Directed by Einari Paakkanen. 2022
Production by Marianne Mäkelä / napafilms oy