Monsterman

On the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland, there is a humble wooden hut where great things have grown. This is a home of one of the most famous people Finland has produced, the Heavy Metal rocker Tomi. At 37, he is an elusive star, who hides his true identity behind an elaborate and scary monster mask and alter ego, Lordi. When a musician joins the band he has to vow to its secrecy and to a life behind a mask, just like Tomi. The most important in life for Tomi to do only what he wants to do, to be Lordi and indulge in his fantasies, borne from his childhood. He has not been like the rest of us, who at some point have had to abandon our naive dreams and embrace the grown up life with regular income and secure jobs. Tomi's Mother and his wife have always stood by his side. For the fans and the people close to Tomi alike, he rocks their world. As a commercial enterprise the Lordi-brand is the band's lifeline too.
Being true to himself is at the core of Tomi's 'Heavy Metal Peter Pan'-like being. However, in 2006 his childhood friend, who was also the record company boss, persuaded Lordi to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest, the epitome of middle class fantasies and values. Lordi won the competition with their song 'Hard Rock Hallelujah'. This was at the same time a great sacrifice and a great victory for Tomi; he had to submit to an alien set of values. Consequently he lost his creativity but also gained a huge audience, something that he had always wanted since he was a boy.
As the band starts to record their new and perhaps last album in Nashville, Tomi strives to regain his creativity and songwriting skill. But will the band stick together and keep on rocking, or is Tomi's monster Neverland about to take its last breath? Lordi – the Monsterman is ultimately a film about the Heavy Metal brotherhood, about being an artist and about being true to yourself. When comes the point when we stop indulging in our dreams, take off our masks and start taking care of others? Or would it be better for all of us if we can let Lordi rock on forever?

Information

Original name Monsterimies
Original language Finnish
Subtitles English
Genre Documentary
Production year 2014
Production country Finland, Norway, Sweden
Running time 85 min
Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEzd3FBorlY

Crew

Direction Antti Haase (also scriptwriter)
Cinematography Marita Hällfors F.S.C, Antti Haase
Sound design Rune Hansen
Composer Håkon Gebhardt
Editing Mikko Sippola
Translation Tiina Kinnunen

Screenings and awards

Festivals

  • 18.04.2016 Cinedelphia Film Festival 2016
  • 12.03.2016 FAME Cinema and Pop Culture Festival 2016
  • 07.03.2016 Bergamo Film Meeting 2016
  • 27.02.2016 Seeyousound International Music Film Festival
  • 20.01.2016 Tromso International Film Festival
  • 14.01.2016 Norient Musik Film Festival
  • 01.01.2016 Pärnu Film Festival (Best music documentary)
  • 13.11.2015 Noordeljik Film Festiva
  • 09.11.2015 CPH:DOX
  • 03.11.2015 AustinFilm Festival (Grand Prix)
  • 28.09.2015 AegeanDocs
  • 15.08.2015 Rock Film Festival 2015
  • 01.08.2015 Sound on Screen Music Film Festival2015
  • 28.07.2015 Alta Fidelidad Music Documentary FilmFestival 2015
  • 20.05.2015 KUMU Documentary Film Series 2015
  • 09.05.2015 DOXA International Documentary Film Festival
  • 28.01.2015 DocPoint Helsinki Documentary Film Festival
  • 14.11.2014 Rokumentti Rock film Festival
  • 24.09.2014 Helsinki International FF - Love & Anarchy
Available on Vimeo On Demand: vimeo.com/ondemand/monstermandocumentary

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