The Harvest Month

The title of the Finnish film Elokuu translates to August. Directed by Matti Kassila, one of Finland's premiere filmmakers, Elokuu was adapted from a novel by Nobel prize winning finnish author F.E. Sillanpää. Simply put, the story concerns the decline and fall of a once-proud family, thanks to the alcoholism of its paterfamilias. Toivo Makela delivers a powerfully effective performance as the inebriated protagonist, avoiding the usual "drunken" cliches. The overlong running time, coupled with the downbeat nature of the subject, limited the film's worldwide appeal.

• Matti KassilaDirector
• Matti KassilaScreenplay
• Ahti SonninenOriginal Music Composer

• Toivo MäkeläViktor Sundvall
• Emma VäänänenSaima Sundvall
• Rauni LuomaMaija Länsilehto
• Aino-Maija TikkanenTyyne Sundvall
• Rauni IkäheimoIita
• Senni NieminenHanna Nieminen
• Heikki SavolainenMauno Viljanen
• Tauno KajanderTaave
• Sylvi SalonenActress
• Topi KankainenAlpertti
• Pentti IrjalaMies saunalla
• Olavi AhonenMies saunalla