Jope – Just Think for Yourself

A warm but bittersweet portrait of a gifted entertainer, carrying childhood pain beneath the laughter and building quietly toward an emotional farewell.

Directed by

Marko Talli

Genres

Documentary

Starring

Jope Ruonansuu, Sakari Kuosmanen, Klaus Thomasson

Overview

An overweight boy who was a bullied at school grew up to become a beloved comedian, folk artist Jope Ruonansuu. He was a versatile entertainer, but above all an impressionist, able to imitate more than 150 characters from the ruling class. Jope's journey was a natural extension of the post-war "Rillumarei" -culture. He broke through when the monoculturalism was at its most vibrant and grew in popularity as it began to crumble. With weight loss surgery, Jope sought a healthier life, but also to shed the extra pounds and childhood traumas. After the surgery, he was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer, but continued to fight, developing a number of different projects, including an anti-bullying campaign together with the President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö. The project was to culminate in a joint visit to Syväkangas school, in Jope's home town of Kemi. Jope passed away before then, but Niinistö kept his promise.

How it feels

Warm, melancholic, earnest and light. Measured and needs your attention.

About

Identity, trauma, grief, class

Content

Mild language. No violence, gore or sexual content.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Watch the trailer on YouTube (opens in a new tab)