Silent Film Concert: By Sledge and Reindeer in Inka Länta's Winterland

By Sledge and Reindeer in Inka Länta’s Winterland is a hybrid documentary blending documentary and staged scenes. While the story is fictional, the characters in the film use their real names. Created in 1926 by Erik Bergström, the film portrays Sámi life in northern Sweden during the 1920s. It showcases everyday activities, reindeer herding, cooking, and the Jokkmokk market. Little is known about the director, Erik Bergström, though one source suggests he was a "nomadic school inspector," which implies he might have worked at a boarding school for Sámi children, influencing his perspective in the film. The movie also features scenes from what is referred to as the “nomad school.” Cinematographer Gustaf Boge, on the other hand, was more renowned in Swedish filmmaking, having traveled the world to document places that were then considered exotic. In this film, he captured Sámi life, which might also be seen as exoticism within Sweden.

We have invited Sámi musicians from the Barents region to lend their instruments and voices to the film through new music. This gives them the opportunity to compose a musical interpretation of a cinematic experience that can be seen as a portrayal of "the others" (the Sámi). The depiction of a Swedish pastor in the film raises questions: does the relationship between Swedes and Sámi appear authentic, or did the director seek to erase conflicts and oppression that were taking place at the time? A film from the 1920s, when the Sámi people were being suppressed in Sweden, Finland, and Norway, can be viewed either as a colonial gaze on Sápmi or as a curious but respectful glimpse into another people's lifestyle. This silent film can be placed in a contemporary context by recreating a depiction of Sámi culture and allowing Sámi musicians to reinterpret the story through new music.

The Musicians:

Lávre Johan Eira is a young indigenous artist and musician from Guovdageaidnu on the Norwegian side of Sápmi. His musical expression is deeply rooted in the Sámi vocal tradition of yoik while continuously exploring new influences within Sámi music. Lávre’s distinctive, exploratory, yet grounded sound is inspired by internal unrest and the strange mosaic of life, explored through a mystical lyrical world addressing themes often overlooked in Sámi culture.

Hildá Länsman is a Sámi singer, yoiker, and musician from Ohcejohka on the Finnish side of Sápmi, now based in Guovdageaidnu. Immersed in the traditions of reindeer herding, artistic handicraft (duodji), and yoik (luohti) from a young age, Hildá combines her rich cultural heritage with modern music and visual art. Hildá’s performances are marked by her unique, ethereal, piercing, growling, and clear voice that captivates audiences both in Sápmi and internationally.

Tuomas Norvio is a sound designer and artist with a background in electronic music. He now works across various art forms and genres. Norvio is interested in rhythmic and arrhythmic masses of sound and uses both acoustic and sampled sounds and immersive soundscapes as his material.

Svante Henryson grew up in Umeå, where he began his musical journey as an electric and double bassist, performing in rock and jazz genres. After studying at the Academy of Music in Prague, he became the youngest solo bassist ever in the Oslo Philharmonic. Seeking new challenges, he moved to the United States to play bass for Yngwie Malmsteen. Svante is also an acclaimed composer whose works span orchestral pieces, chamber music—including the award-winning solo violin sonata—and the song cycle Frånvarons Speglar. He also composed the Sámi-language oratorio Vidderna Inom Mig while serving as an artist-in-residence in Northern Norway.

The screening is a collaboration between The Finnish-Norwegian Cultural Institute and Tromsø International Film Festival.