ONCE I WAS A DRAGONFLY

2016

Documentary

A coming of age story about a boy who doesn’t see beauty in the society but instead in the microscopic world of dragonflies.

Once I was a Dragonfly follows the 25-year-old Miikka Friman who has grown up with dragonflies. He was inspired already at the age of six by a dragonfly that landed on his shoulder and his inspiration gradually turned into a way of living which still almost two decades later drives Miikka onto his expeditions. Miikka has been living his whole life with a camera on his hand, researching dragonflies and documenting the important milestones of his live. The film will show in parallel Miikka’s development from a young enthusiastic filmmaker into a grown man while revealing the trajectory of a dragonfly.

A documentary film. Duration 64 minutes. Premiere 11/2016.

FESTIVALS

Nordic Film Days Lübeck, 2017
DocPoint Helsinki Documentary Film Festival, 2017
iDOCS International Documentary Forum, 2016
Espoo Ciné, 2016
Ilokuvafestivaali, 2016
Savonlinna International Nature Film Festival, 2016
Jäkäläfest, 2016
Part of Finnish Nature Day programm, 2016
Colorado Environmental festival, 2016
The London International Filmmaker Festival, 2016

AWARDS

Critic’s Choice award, DocPoint Helsinki Documentary Festival 2017
Finnish Film Affair Best Pitch Award, 2015

Credits

DIRECTOR, SCREENWRITER

Elli Toivoniemi

CINEMATOGRAPHER

Anna Antsalo, Selma Vilhunen

EDITOR

Okku Nuutilainen

SOUND DESIGNER

Tuomas Klaavo

COMPOSER

Joona Jaakkola, Salla Luhtala

PRODUCERS

Venla Hellstedt, Elli Toivoniemi / Tuffi Films