Jaana Saarinen is a Finnish actor, seen recently acting opposite Heikki Kinnunen in the film Long Good Thursday (Mielensäpahoittajan rakkaustarina, 2024), directed by Mika Kaurismäki. Saarinen got particularly excited about the project because the film deals with the subject of love.
Saarinen’s acting career began in the 1960’s, and she has worked extensively in both film and theatre since then. Among her career highlights are a 25-year stint at Kotka City Theatre and numerous roles in film and television. With the film Long Good Thursday, Saarinen has toured several international festivals, including the Chicago International Film Festival, the Lübeck Nordic Film Days, Tallinn’s PÖFF and International Film Weekend Würzburg. Now, Saarinen has arrived in Budapest for the Finnish Film Days to represent Long Good Thursday, before which we had the chance to chat to Jaana about her life and passion: acting.
How did you come to be an actress?
“Acting has been an obvious choice for me since I was a little girl. I acted in my first film already at the age of five, and since then I've done children's and youth programmes. School plays and other performances have been a natural part of my life, so this path always felt right. On the other hand, one could ask if I even know how to do anything else – I can’t even tell you how I know how to act. Still I don’t feel that the profession chose me, but that we all make our own choices. For me, this has been a clear direction from an early age, and I have never regretted it. I am still passionate about my job and I hope that I never have to quit. Sometimes my colleagues ask me when I will retire, but I don’t really know what that would involve in my case. I have a pension thanks to my long career, but I still want to keep working as long as I'm needed – and as long as I enjoy it.”
How have film and theatre affected you?
“I have never been able to separate my acting career from my family life or motherhood – they are all intertwined and complement each other. That’s why I’ve always wanted to involve my children in the theatre and spend a lot of time with them. Theatre has brought depth and dimension to my life, without which I would certainly be a much smaller person.”
Saarinen states that acting is essentially the same regardless of whether it is done on camera or on stage. The main difference is the structure of the performance: a play is performed from start to finish in one evening and has its own arc – just like a film. In a film, however, scenes can be filmed in a different order, whereas with theatre the performance is repeated over and over again. In film, the result is recorded and permanent, but in theatre, each performance is unique. The actor has to keep the performance fresh for each audience to keep the experience alive.
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Saarinen is known as a long-standing Finnish actor. She is particularly known for her role as Maarit Salin in the popular television series Salatut elämät. In her fifties, Saarinen made a big change in her career. She left her long-term job at the Kotka City Theatre and went freelance, starting a new phase in her acting career. Soon after, Saarinen landed a major role in the three-part television series Hopeanuolet (2007), directed by Auli Mantila. In the series, her character Ritva gets into trouble with creditors and ends up on the run – as company for the road she brings Marja-Leena, who has a car. For her role Saarinen won the Venla award for best actress.
What has been the most fun project of your career?
“Oh, there’s countless of them when you have done so many different things! But one particularly significant experience was a 2010 staging of the six-hour long play Angels in America. We rehearsed it on our own time for two years under the direction of Johanna Freundlich. I myself travelled from Kotka to Helsinki for rehearsals, and the whole process was an incredible experience. The play itself was great, but extra special was the team Johanna had put together: there were many talented actors, including Krista Kosonen, Matti Onnismaa and Jani Toivola. I enjoy working immensely – for me, there is nothing mystical or sacred about working. I feel like a worker first and foremost, and the fact that I get to work properly and with passion is the most wonderful thing for me.”
Is there a particular role that has stayed with you?
“My memory is not very long, and I don’t carry a large archive of my old roles. I remember colleagues who are able to suddenly sing songs from plays years past – when I don’t even remember if I was in that play or not. Once a role is done, it often seems to disappear from my mind. Still, certain classic roles have stayed with me, like Nora from Nukkekoti (1994). One of my most thrilling experiences was Piina (1996), based on a Stephen King novel. There was also a TV series in which I played a nurse who ended up murdering 25 people – although I was only caught for five – which was a wild ride. In this kind of role, you have to dive into a completely alien world of thought and find ways to understand your character's actions.”
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Long Good Thursday was not Saarinen's first collaboration with director Mika Kaurismäki. She played Sannis in Kaurismäki's 2015 film Elämältä kaiken sain, in which her character was Vesa-Matti Loiri's girlfriend. Saarinen also reveals that she had a small role in a previous The Grump film – of which Long Good Thursday is a continuation – but her scene was cut from the final version. She reckons that this was a stroke of luck, since otherwise she might not have been cast as Saimi in the next film.
How would you describe the film Long Good Thursday?
“It's a love story, as the title suggests in Finnish. But above all, it is a strong message that age does not matter – anything is possible in life. We always have the possibility to change, to change our minds and to choose how we relate to things.”
How have Finnish cinema and theatre changed during your career?
“Finnish film and theatre production have changed significantly during my career. When I joined the Kotka Theatre in the 1980s, the repertoire consisted mainly of operettas and plays – these were the cornerstones of theatre. Nowadays the situation is different, and funding cuts are a cause for concern. Is the direction of both theatre and film going to be to focus only on what attracts the most audiences? And who is the “audience” – can such a generalisation even be made? There have also been major changes in film production. The number of shooting days has fallen significantly, which poses a challenge for filmmaking. Nowadays, a film may be shot in only 16 days, whereas in Long Good Thursday, for example, we still had 24 days. This gave us more time and peace of mind.”
Do you have a dream role you would like to do in the future?
“I sometimes dream of playing a police officer or a spy. I particularly liked Saimi because I think she is a good person. On the other hand, the roles of murderers and other criminals fascinate me in their own way – maybe because I’m a bit of a coward myself. It’s exciting to step into such a contrasting world and play someone completely awful.”
Your five favourite films?
Lars von Trier Breaking the Waves (1996)
Ruben Östlund The Square (2017)
Roy Andersson En Kärlekshistoria (1970)
Yorgos Lanthimos Poor Things (2023)
Giuseppe Tornatore Cinema Paradiso (1988)
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WHO?
Jaana Saarinen
Occupation: actor
Education: High school and university studies in literature and drama
Place of residence: Espoo
Hobbies: puzzles, films and TV-series
Text: Saaga Kaján
Translation: Cecilia Fewster