Eatnameamet – Our Silent Struggle

The state of Finland colonized the lands of indigenous Sámi people and must acknowledge the consequences of that action. This is the position firmly and refreshingly held by filmmaker Suvi West as she looks at continued Sami efforts to hold Finland's government accountable. Where other films may debate the historical record, Eatnameamet names colonization as the original trauma from which all conflict between Finnish state and Sámi powers stem, and visits the main fronts on which these struggles play out today. From savvy observations of Truth and Reconciliation hearings for Sámi people and tone-deaf consultations over high-speed rail placement to the up-close coverage of municipal council meetings and elementary school curriculum, West's cameras reveal the myriad ways occupiers infiltrate and destabilize opposition. While revealing tokenism and discrimination along the way, this compelling study of resistance points to a growing optimism within Sámi people, especially when this message is shared between generations and more broadly with the world. Myrocia Watamaniuk

The Changing Face of Europe program presented in partnership with