OFFICIAL SELECTION “HALF OF ME” WRITTEN BY TUUKKA TEMONEN (Finland)

BIO:

Tuukka Temonen is Finnish based award winning director and producer. Since 1996 he has run a production company called Optipari Oy. Tuukka is widely acknowledged director in his home country. He´s know for documentary of presidential campaign of elected president Sauli Niinistö and cinematographer of documentary about former president Tarja Halonen´s last year of hers presidency.

Mr. Temonen have made three drama movies. He´s debut film Teit Meistä Kauniin (Born in Heinola) was audiences choice on Jussi-gala. Second film was called Valmentaja (Trainer) witch was a story of famous Finnish entrepreneur and media person Jari Sarasvuo. Tuukka´s latest film he wrote ’HALF OF ME’ is based on a true story of the finnish pararider Jaana Kivimäki.

Tuukka is also former bass player of famous finnish punk band called Apulanta.

Position of responsibility
Municipal council Iitti 2008 - 2016 (vice chairman. 2008 - 2014)
Foundation for music promotion Audiovisual-division 2009 - 2017
Church council Iitti 2006 - 2014 (vice chairman. 2006 - 2010)

Member of Finnish association for professionals
Member of Finnish Chamber of Films
Member of Finnish cultural foundation

“HALF OF ME” BASED ON TRUE EVENTS WRITTEN BY TUUKKA TEMONEN

LOGLINE: (Genre: Drama)

Jaana is a middle-aged mother and equestrian whose life takes a new direction after a severe injury which leads her into a wheelchair. She is fighting for what is important in her life and sets new goals as a para-equestrian. Storyline of the movie is based on true events.

SYNOPSIS:

The feature film (One half of me) is based on true events and tells an incredible survival story of a Finnish woman. Jaana is a bar owner and a mother of two kids. Her spare time hobby is equestrian. Jaana lives together with a charismatic but short-tempered partner, Marko. Jaana’s life is about to take total change of direction as she paralyzes in a severe accident.

SUMMARY:

Jaana is a mother of two kids and a bar owner in a small village in Finland. Her hobby is equestrian. Jaana is living with her kids and boyfriend, Janne. He is a criminal and violent also towards Jaana.

Jaana is about to participate in a horse riding competition. The night before, police has made a home surveillance in Jaana’s apartment and Janne has been arrested. Jaana has taken her kids to her mom and is leaving to the competition. Jaana’s trainer André (former equestrian himself) and Jaana’s closest friend Marjut are going to the competition office while Jaana is alone at the horse trailer. The hydraulic pumps of the trailer has been damaged and while Jaana starts to open the trailer, the back stand of the trailer hits her with full force and she gets immediatedly paralyzed down from the hip area and she is facing a life in a wheelchair. Jaana spends a year in a hospital and after the first shock and self-destructive thoughts she will find again some hope in life with help of an extraordinary psychologist that she becomes friends with.

Jaana gets back home and her every day life in a wheelchair starts. Janne has figured out that he can postpone the jail time if he becomes the personal carer of Jaana 24/7. André and Marjut are trying to talk Jaana into para-equestrian. The try-out fails and she quits. Janne is not the best carer for Jaana. The criminal activities and home violence continues to the point where Jaana decides to reveal the truth and gives a statement to the police. Janne is facing a prison. Jaana retries the para-equestrian and this time it starts to work out. André gives his fine horse Belline to Jaana and motivates her to the dressage. The training period begins.

Truck driver Teppo, single man from the same small village, starts to show intrest in Jaana and they are bumping to each other more often. Teppo is offering his help to Jaana but she rejects him constantly. Her heart melts finally when Teppo builds a ramp for her wheelchair in front of her house, secretly during night time, so she can leave the house without risk of falling. Jaana realizes that Teppo has a good heart and she rolls in the middle of a night to Teppo’s house in a pouring rain. Jaana and Teppo make love and they become a couple.

Jaana is training for a competition with André and Marjut while the horse gets wild, bolts and Jaana falls against the horse upside down. Jaana gets anxious and blames André and Marjut for pushing her to the riding. Jaana stays in home and gets depressed. Teppo finds a pile of pills in Jaana’s home and gets worried. Teppo takes her to the stables to meet Belline. Jaana breaks down and realizes that horses are the power that keeps her alive.

André and Marjut meet her in the stables and she announces that the journey towards Paralympic Games can begin. Marjut feels quilt after the accident that it was partly her fault and three of them make up. Jaana is participating a competition where she can get qualified for the Paralympic Games. The psychologist meets her after a while and helps her to get over her fear of riding a horse. Jaana succeeds but is left on the second place. She dissappoints but decides to continue training. The next week André gets back on the saddle of Belline after many years because he was so inspired of Jaana’s performance. Marjut brings an official letter that invites Jaana to Paralympic team, on everybody’s surprise. Jaana is leaving to the airport, Teppo and kids are driving her. Everything is fine. Jaana leaves and Teppo stays home with the kids. Janne gets emotional in prison while watching on tv when Jaana is entering to the Olympic Arena. Teppo, Jaana’s mom and kids are cheering for Jaana in front of telly at home.