“Steam of Life” reveals naked truth about inner life of modern men

The fundamental need of humans to talk, to express themselves and try to make sense of their inner lives, is abundantly on display in a remarkable documentary film from Finland. “Steam of Life” goes deep into the inner sanctum of Finnish life, the sauna.

Amid the steam, ordinary men not known for their way with words create everyday poetry as they struggle to articulate their innermost feelings.

This thought provoking documentary will be shown on April 12, starting at noon at the Appelo Archives Center, 1056 SR 4, Naselle, WA. A discussion will follow.

The 12 men in this film, all played by themselves, open up with incredible candor about their families, children, marriages, divorces, love, loss, struggles and redemption. We hear from a soldier who served in Afghanistan as part of NATO forces and thinks of returning against his own best instincts. In an unexpectedly hilarious moment, a man rapturously describes his extraordinary best friend. That best friend then makes his own appearance, which startled even the filming crew.

Making “Steam of Life” was a feat in itself. The crew used old 16mm film cameras in rooms that were 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Prior to filming, the cameras had to be warmed slowly to the sauna’s temperature. The resulting images have a richness and luminosity unique to the film medium.

Among the interesting things we learn from this documentary is that portable saunas can appear anywhere in Finland-in trailers, tepees, cars, even phone booths. We also learn that Finnish men of all shapes, sizes, and ages are not the least bit self-conscious about being nude, either in front of each other or in front of the filmmakers’ cameras (the crew was naked, too). We also learn that Finnish men, despite their reputation for not being communicative, are almost unstoppable once they get talking in their quiet way about their lives. They speak from a deep emotional need to share their experiences, and from a special place, the sauna, where they shed social inhibitions and distinctions along with their clothes.

Alternating images of the cold and majestic Finnish landscape and the warm and intimate sauna explain the place of the steam bath in Finnish life with no need for voiceover. In fact, “Steam of Life” unfolds solely through the images and the talk of the men themselves. The men speak slowly in the meditative Nordic cadence that the sauna seems to inspire, and they speak with striking candor. They also listen to each other with great patience; they allow silences that provide time for things to sink in, and they do not pretend the irresolvable can be resolved.

"Steam of Life” is a production of Oktober Oy in association with Nordisk Film and Films Transit International. Joonas Berghäll is the Co-director and Producer. Mika Hotakainen is the co-director. This documentary has received numerous awards including the Jussi, the Finnish equivalent of the Oscar. The film has English subtitles. It is suitable for high school students and adults. It runs 56 minutes. This event is a collaboration with “Point of View,” the award winning independent nonfiction film series on PBS.

There is no admission charge, but donations will be gladly accepted.