Fire-Eater
6.6
The twin sisters Helena and Irene are born in Helsinki during World War II. A few months later their mother, Sirkka, leaves the girls in the care of their grandmother, an old communist, and runs away with a German soldier. Their life under the protection of their grandmother and the teachings of communism ends first with the death of Stalin, then with that of their grandmother. The girls are eight years old when they are put in an orphanage. Their mother shows up at the orphanage in the company of Ramon, a Spanish trapeze artist. They are on a talent search for a German circus. Ramon trains the reluctant Irene during circus tours in Central Europe. She becomes the trapeze star of the circus. The hard work soon exhausts Irene and she falls from height, as if on purpose. Helena has secretly learned the art of fire-eating. Now she is burdened with both her mother and her sister. The violent life, however, separates the three from each other. In the present-day Helsinki the middle-aged...
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Cast
21 people
Elina Hurme
Helena
Also in
The Collector
Punainen huone
Tiina Weckström
Mother
Also in
Hella W
Love and Fury
Elena Leeve
Helena 14 Years
Known for
Arctic Circle
Sauna
Elsa Saisio
Irene 14 Years
Known for
Deadwind
Dual
Jani Volanen
Clown
Known for
Deadwind
Hatching
Vappu Jurkka
Grandmother
Also in
Seitsemän
Professori Uuno D.G. Turhapuro
Jordi Borrell
Ramon
No other roles listed
Unna Kitti
Girl
No other roles listed
Sari Havukainen
Helena 8 years
No other roles listed
Inka Vogt
Irene 8 years
No other roles listed
Per Ragnar
Circus Director
Known for
Let the Right One In
The Health Journey
Sulevi Peltola
Arvo
Known for
Deadwind
Lights in the Dusk
Pirjo Honkasalo Director · Pirkko Saisio Writer Richard Einhorn Composer
United States release October 27, 1998 · Produced in Sweden, Finland · Production MRP Matila Röhr Productions, Marko Röhr Productions
Production
SVT Drama
Production
MRP Matila Röhr Productions
Production
Marko Röhr Productions
Production
TV12
Production
Sweden · Finland
Produced in
Languages
Original title
Tulennielijä
Original language
Finnish
Spoken on screen
Finnish
Release dates
United States · October 27, 1998
Premiere · AFI Fest
Finland · October 30, 1998
Theatrical
More from Pirjo Honkasalo
Other films they directed, best known first.
Some details come from TheTVDB.