What makes a good film unforgettable? Jukka-Pekka Laakso, one of the guest curators for the 2024/5 T-Port Lighthouse Selections, as well as the long-standing festival director of the Tampere Film Festival, reveals what he looks for in standout short films.
From spotting hidden gems to curating surprise-packed lineups, Laakso shares his insider knowledge on navigating the film industry. For aspiring filmmakers and curators alike, this interview is packed with practical advice and behind-the-scenes insights that can give your career a boost.
Hi Jukka-Pekka, could you please introduce yourself?
I am Jukka-Pekka Laakso, festival director of Tampere Film Festival since 2002. As festival director, besides being “the Face” of the festival, I share responsibility for programming and strategic planning of the festival.
At the festival, I work specifically with competitions but also with some of the additional programming.
I have been a member of the jury at 60+ film festivals, and I am often asked to talk about short films and film festivals by different organisations like universities, festivals, or other institutions.
If you could watch one film forever on a loop – what would it be?
I do not think I would like to do that, but if I had to, maybe Dr. Strangelove by Stanley Kubrick. Of course, the only right answer for this is Groundhog Day…
What do you think a curator’s superpower is (or should be)?
It should be seeing and making connections between films and themes that are not obvious. It IS to want to see more and more films.
What will you be looking for while selecting Lighthouse films?
Surprises.
There are good films and there are great films. What makes a film great?
A good film is when the film makes me feel strongly. A great film is when the filmmaker actually meant to make me feel that way.
Can you name a trope, convention, or other aspect that would immediately turn you off a film?
In the beginning: Eric Satie music, unnecessary cool-looking drone shots, the main character waking up, turning the alarm off, and stretching.
Could you tell us about how you became a curator/programmer? What does your career path look like?
1970s: Joining a film club.
1980s: Running a film club, working at Tampere Film Festival as a doorman, always working at least part-time with cinema, then asked to do some selecting work, co-curating the competition for Tampere, and then doing what I am doing now. Basically jumping into opportunities.
Do you have any advice for wannabe curators/programmers that you wish you’d known early in your career?
Start with good films that you really want to screen, not great ideas you want to find films for.
What’s your best piece of advice for filmmakers as they are embarking on their early career?
Watch more films.
Let us know if you have anything else to add!
Second-best piece of advice: Have friends who dare to tell you what they really think of your films before the final cut.
We are Seeking the Future of Film – Submit Your Short Today
All films uploaded to T-Port before our deadline of November 30, 2024 will be automatically considered for our T-Port Lighthouse Selections – a curated selection of films picked by leading industry programmers. The T-Port Lighthouse Selections is considered our premium collection and given increased exposure to our network of film professionals.
T-Port films are only accessible to professionals, so your premiere status will not be affected.
Stake your place in the next generation of filmmakers waiting to be discovered for only 15 Euros / year. Find out more on our website and get started with T-Port today.
Back to T-Port Blog