Seamstress 2015 Directed by Ville Suhonen Ompelijatar

So great is to die and live for happiness and freedom

A documentary film about Martta Koskinen, the last executed woman in Finland during the war in 1943. Martta was a Seamstress who lived in Helsinki during the Second World War. She was one of the post-civil war (in 1918) generation for whom the war had meant a disappointment in the system and failure in unity of the Finnish nation. The legacy of the civil war had left systems of persecution in place for those with socialist ideals. Martta and her fellow revolutionaries were determined to continue the resistance movement although they knew that at worst it could cost their lives. Martta was imprisoned twice before she was shot. She was an idealist, whose seemingly harmless, naive beliefs in peace and justice were the most dangerous traits a person could have at the time.

Country Finland
Production Country Finland
Language Finnish
Spoken Language Finnish
Gnere Documentary
Production Company Illume
Release Date 25 September 2015
93 mins
Cast
Martta Koskinen Herself (Archive footage)
Vera Kiiskinen Martta Koskinen (voice)
Pekka Milonoff Narrator (voice)
Laura Birn Hertta Kuusinen (voice)
Elena Leeve Mirjam Koskinen (voice)
Vilma Melasniemi Elvi Sinervo (voice)
Taisto Oksanen EK:n / Valpon etsivä (voice)
Antti Seppänen EK:n / Valpon etsivä (voice)
Antti Virmavirta EK:n / Valpon etsivä (voice)
Merja Ritola Elma Wahlsten (voice)
Seppo Louhi Emil Soinala (voice)
Nicholas Wancke Hj. A. Paunu (voice)
Mila Nirhamo Martta (dramatisoidut kuvat)
Ville Suhonen Olavi Heiman (voice)