Pekka

On November 7, 2007, 18-year-old Pekka shot eight people to death at a high school in Jokela, a peaceful town just north of Helsinki. Conversations with classmates, teachers and Pekka’s parents lead into to a haunting reconstruction of the events that prompted this sad but not incomprehensible act. Starting with what happened the day of the shooting, the film outlines Pekka’s lonely existence. We hear how a friendly, sunny child with a deep interest in history suffered years of exclusion and escalating bullying to become a young adult drowning in self-hatred. reveals both an intolerant culture that leaves no room for divergence from the norm, and a blind spot among teachers in regard to the problems of youngsters who do not belong to the group. Languid tracking shots of detached homes in a pretty, tree-lined neighborhood and static tripod shots of the blank, austere architecture of the school contrast with the emotional voices on the soundtrack and photographic evidence with red arrows pointing to bullet holes. The story of Pekka’s youth is accompanied by scenes of children playing, with teachers and students having their say. Pekka’s own writings and YouTube films testify to his pessimistic outlook on life.