Documentary of Finnish town's destruction

Battle for the City trailer online

The film tells the story of two Turkus, the one from the past and the modern one. What was Turku like before the old city was torn down and modernisation completely changed the cityscape? How are today’s young people attempting to take control over city property by occupying buildings?

Battle for the City is at the same time a film that awakens the sentimental spirit of the old Turku, a historical documentary about the phenomenon aptly named the ‘Turku disease’ (referring to the desire to tear down the old and replace it with the modern), and a topical social/political standpoint.

Jouko Aaltonen is a Finnish documentary director, producer and scriptwriter. Aaltonen has directed more than 20 documentaries. His nationally and internationally award-winning movies include Kusum (2000), Kenen joukoissa seisot (2006) and Punk – tauti joka ei tapa (2008).

Aaltonen, Rauno Lahtinen and Olli Vesala are the authors of the manuscript.

The documentary is being produced by Illume Oy and it's premiere will be at the Finnish Film Festival in Turku in April 2011.