Reindeerspotting

Jani is a 19-year-old man who lives in Rovaniemi in northern Finland, a city arguably best known for being the home of Santa Claus. His everyday life is spent in the company of friends, either injecting the highly addictive drug Subutex or committing petty crimes in order to finance their addiction. Even though he is caught up in a web of narcotic substances, Jani longs for a different existence. When given the opportunity he changes his situation. The question is: For how long can Jani be on the run without having to confront his past?

When first released in Finland in spring 2010, Reindeerspotting gained massive attention and acclaim from critics and audience alike. Eventually it became the most watched domestic documentary in the history of Finnish cinema. Being a member of the gang, director Joonas Neuvonen got full access to a world rarely shown on the silver screen. Due to its raw but balanced portrayal of drug addiction, Reindeerspotting offers something unique in documentary film within this sensitive topic: objectivity and respect for the subject. –Stockholm International Film Festival