On the Trail of the New Wave

Finnish musician and researcher Pekka Laine embarks on a journey across his homeland, tracking down the traces and participants of a once-vibrant musical phenomenon: the Finnish new wave of the 1980s. His quest leads him through archives, recording studios, and encounters with half-forgotten heroes of the underground. The camera captures not just the hunt for era artifacts—cassettes, posters, fanzines—but also lively, sometimes nostalgic, sometimes ironic dialogues with those who made the music. The investigation evolves into a meditation on the nature of creativity, cultural memory, and the fragility of local scenes eroded by time.