SHAKE!

When Eva (Tuuli Heinonen) lets loose and starts dancing at a company party, disapproving leers drive her away from the dance floor. To make matters worse, Eva’s new boss Kirsti (Wanda Dubiel) humiliates her in front of everyone. Eva realises she can’t just accept the situation and decides to return on the dance floor to own the room and dance away the shame. Shake! is written and directed by Sonya Lindfors and Aino Suni, and it is part of the film anthology Force of Habit.

Directed and screenplay: Sonya Lindfors & Aino Suni
Produced by: Elli Toivoniemi
Cinematography by: Kerttu Hakkarainen
Production design by: Sanna-Mari Pirkola
Costume design by: Roosa Marttiini
Make-up design by Kaisu Hölttä
Sound design by: Lotta Mäki
Editing by: Jussi Sandhu
Original score by: Niko Liinamaa

CAST:

Eva: Tuuli Heinonen
Kirsti: Wanda Dubiel

Country of production: Suomi
Duration: 7:28
Domestic content rating: S

Shake! is a film about freedom. The freedom to be yourself and the courage to resist the demand for uniformity.

We live in a society where being different is punishable. Exclusion, bullying, and discrimination are cruel ways to guard the boundaries of normality. Gestures, looks, and hidden remarks constantly control our behaviour and existence. Already as a child, we learn to be ashamed of ourselves, to diminish and to censor ourselves. With repetition, the toxic atmosphere spreads and gets normalised – we start requiring others, too, to conform to the social norms. We use a massive amount of time and energy in trying to fit into these impossible moulds. The human body is a rebel; it is exactly the shape, colour, and size that it is.

Historically, the dance floor has offered a place for different kinds of people to meet each other just the way they are and to liberate themselves together. Shake! was created out of the need to make visible that moment when we let go and surrender to the movement that shakes up old structures. Suddenly the music pulls us in and the body starts moving almost by itself. The movement is unstoppable. When diving deeper into the feeling of freedom, all those looks and demands are forgotten. Dance brings us together and lifts as up in the air, all the way to pure pleasure. Enjoying your own body is the most radical freedom there is.

Aino Suni & Sonya Lindfors, director-writers

What do you see differently after having seen the film? Share your insights!

DISCUSS THE FILM!

DOWNLOAD PDF FILE HERE

The discussion material created by the Yksittäistapaus campaign and the Timeout Foundation help you have constructive dialogue about the film and to see things from a new perspective. The discussion material is especially designed to support dialogue in school lessons.

You can lead the discussion by showing the guidelines and discussion questions to the participants directly through the slide show below. You can download and print the more extensive guidelines with additional support for the leader of the discussion as a PDF file.

SHAKE!

The discussion guidelines

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE WORKPLACE?

START

Today, we’re having a Timeout Dialogue based on
the Yksittäistapaus short film.

1/11

5 min

Let’s try to share our own thoughts and experiences
confidentially.

We don’t have to agree. But let’s try to understand
the matter at hand and each other better.

In the discussion, we don’t have to make decisions
or resolve anything. We can talk in peace.

We use the Rules of constructive dialogue in the discussion.
Now let’s briefly go though them...

THE RULES OF CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE

1. Listen to others, do not interrupt or start side discussions.

Do we all commit to these rules together?

2. Participate in the shared discussion and use respectful language.

3. Share your own experiences and thoughts.

6. Take your time to think about the matters and summarise.
Give room for incompleteness.
What did we learn from discussing the matter together?
What insights did we gain?

2/11

4. Ask if you didn’t quite understand.

5. Be present and respect others and the atmosphere of trust.

INTRODUCTION

We will now see a short film called Shake!

3 min

After that, we will have some time to talk about
the short film and the thoughts it provoked in us.

If you encounter some challenging or unpleasant
emotions today, you can find advice and information
about where to find help from the address
yksittaistapaus.fi.

3/11

BUZZING IN PAIRS

Now, find a partner. Discuss together what kind of thoughts
the film evoked in you.

5 min

What happened in the workplace?

What kinds of thoughts did their behaviour evoke in you?

If you want, you can share with your partner if you have
had experiences of the theme of the short film.

Did some of the persons act or behave wrongly, how?

Make sure that there is enough time for both of you
to share your thoughts.

4/11

Why did the characters of the film behave as they did?

JOINT DISCUSSION

Now let´s share with the whole group what you talked about.

What kinds of thoughts did you have of the short film
and the behaviour of its main characters?

Use some of these questions to go further with the discussion:

What kind of power was exercised in the film?

25 min

How could you in your community (for instance, class, hobby)
prevent people talking trash about each other behind their
backs and contribute to everyone feeling welcome and accepted?

Could the roles of the film be reversed so that the target
would be a man or a boy?

In what kind of an environment is it easy to be yourself
and do what makes you feel good?

Why can it be hard to be different than everyone else in the
group (for instance, a class, a hobby group, a group of colleagues)?

In what kinds of situations might you experience exclusion
and discrimination?

Remember the Rules of constructive dialogue and make sure
everyone gets to share their thoughts.

In what kinds of matters is being different particularly difficult
(for instance, clothing, opinions, behaviour)?

5/11

THINGS TO KNOW

Make sure everyone knows answers to these questions.

Click the box if you want further information on the topic.

6/11

What does discrimination mean, and what kind of discrimination is prohibited in the legislation?
What is body positivity?
What does body peace mean?

THEMES TO BE
DISCUSSED FURTHER

(Skip this part if you are having a 45 min conversation)

5 min

We have now raised at least a few of the main themes
in the discussion

Now let´s discuss together which of these themes we will focus on.

2) is unclear or filled with tension.

Discuss together with the pair sitting next you on
which theme you would like to focus.

A good topic:

You have a few minutes to do this.

Pick a topic that gets most mentions in your pair discussions.

If no consensus is reached, the instructor will choose the topic.

1) is relevant to as many participants as possible

7/11

CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION

25 min

Now, let’s continue the discussion on the topic we just
decided we will discuss further.

Tell the others about an event or situation that has affected
the way you think about this topic.

What kinds of thoughts and/or experiences came to the minds
of the rest while you were listening to the previous speaker?

Make sure that those who have not participated yet in
the discussion will get to share their thoughts.

8/11

(Skip this part if you are having a 45 min conversation)

WRITING INSIGHTS

9/11

Thank you for a great and constructive discussion!

Next, we will write the insights we gained in this discussion.

Think of a few insights or thoughts that remained in your
mind from the discussion. Write these in your own paper.

Do you see some things differently after the discussion
or having seen the film?

You don’t have to write your name on the paper.
The instructor will collect the insights written on paper
at the end and create a summary of them.

Pick one insight you would like to share with others.

2-3 min

SHARING INSIGHTS

10/11

Now each of you can share one insight or thought about
this discussion or topic in one sentence.

We would love to hear your insights as well!

3 min

Share your insights here

ENDING

11/11

What did this Timeout discussion and the topic feel like?

What kind of a feeling or vibe did you get from
the joint discussion?

Hopefully this discussion wil continue at some point!

THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING THE DISCUSSION!

2 min

Project Description

SHAKE!

What do you see differently after having seen the film? Share your insights!

DISCUSS THE FILM!