A short documentary
Strangers in the Dark is an experimental short documentary of how light pollution makes glow-worm’s love life a living hell. Combining different techniques from animation to archive material the film follows glow-worm’s attempts to find a partner in an environment that is no longer dark at night. The story about light and darkness moves from the scale of planetary to microscopic, from the calmness of nature to a hectic city and from artificial light to the green shimmer of glow-worm’s behind.
Strangers in the Dark is an experimental short documentary of how light pollution makes glow-worm’s love life a living hell. Combining different techniques from animation to archive material the film follows glow-worm’s attempts to find a partner in an environment that is no longer dark at night. The story about light and darkness moves from the scale of planetary to microscopic, from the calmness of nature to a hectic city and from artificial light to the green shimmer of glow-worm’s behind.
Written and directed by
Perttu Inkilä & Jenni Pystynen
Perttu Inkilä & Jenni Pystynen
Film editor
Jussi Sandhu
Jussi Sandhu
Director of photography
Perttu Inkilä
Perttu Inkilä
Music
Timo Kaukolampi & Tuomo Puranen
Timo Kaukolampi & Tuomo Puranen
Sound designer
Janne Jankeri
Janne Jankeri
Producer
Oona Saari / Illume Ltd
Oona Saari / Illume Ltd
Gaffer
Mikko Saarelainen
Mikko Saarelainen
First assistant camera
Juho Kareoja
Juho Kareoja
Sound post-production
Piippu Film Sound
Piippu Film Sound
Sound editor & foley recordist
Jere-Matias Koiso-Kanttila
Jere-Matias Koiso-Kanttila
Foley artist
Vili Laitinen
Vili Laitinen
Production sound mixer
Viktor Toikkanen
Viktor Toikkanen
Re-recording mixer
Pekka Karjalainen / Meguru Film Sound
Janne Jankeri
Pekka Karjalainen / Meguru Film Sound
Janne Jankeri
Vocals
Ringa Manner
Ringa Manner
Violin
Eriikka Maalismaa
Eriikka Maalismaa
Poems
Erik Blomberg: Älä pelkää pimeyttä
Translation: Kirsi Kunnas
Erik Blomberg: Älä pelkää pimeyttä
Translation: Kirsi Kunnas
Aila Meriluoto: Kesäyö
Recitation
Erja Manto
Erja Manto
Glowworm specialist
Christina Elgert
Christina Elgert
Glowworm assistants
Linnea Kivelä
Juho Kökkö
Linnea Kivelä
Juho Kökkö
Translator
Tiina Kinnunen
Tiina Kinnunen
Drone pilot
Marco Godles
Marco Godles
Drone operator
Ben Daley
Ben Daley
Grip
Henri Tondi
Henri Tondi
VR Camera operator
Sami Rehmonen
Sami Rehmonen
Lighting technicians
Joonas Saine
Teemu Rosenqvist
Joonas Saine
Teemu Rosenqvist
Vectrex programming
Jani Hietanen
Jani Hietanen
Assistant editor
Heli Kota
Heli Kota
Production trainees
Ida Räsänen
Kati Kiviniemi
Ida Räsänen
Kati Kiviniemi
Economy
Natalia Fuksman / Rantalainen
Irina Kempinen / Rantalainen
Natalia Fuksman / Rantalainen
Irina Kempinen / Rantalainen
Auditing
Risto Ekholm / BDO Oy
Risto Ekholm / BDO Oy
Production consultant
Jouko Aaltonen
Jouko Aaltonen
DCP
Kari Mankinen / Toast
Kari Mankinen / Toast
Colorist
Antti Peltoranta / Toast
Antti Peltoranta / Toast
Animation
Pekka Tavi / Sun Effects
Pekka Tavi / Sun Effects
Visual effects
Perttu Inkilä & Jenni Pystynen
Perttu Inkilä & Jenni Pystynen
Graphic designer
Tuomas Korolainen / Mene creative
Tuomas Korolainen / Mene creative
Archive material
Yle Archive / Eva Andberg
Periscope Film
Yle Archive / Eva Andberg
Periscope Film
Camera and lighting equipment
Kinos Rentals
Kinos Rentals
Funding
Finnish Film Foundation / Eero Tammi
AVEK / Mikko Peltonen
Finnish Film Foundation / Eero Tammi
AVEK / Mikko Peltonen
In Co-operation with
YLE / Sari Volanen
YLE / Sari Volanen
Shot on Arri Alexa Mini with Cooke anamorphic primes and various macro lenses.
SCREENINGS and AWARDS
DocPoint 2023
Vera FF 2023
Joutseno Art Summer Best short film
Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival
Drama International Short Film Festival
Black Sea Film Festival Best short film
Rakkautta & Anarkiaa
Münster Film Festival
Encounters Bristol
EKOFILM IFF Festival President’s award
Science New Wave Festival
Uppsala SFF
ALCINE 52 - Festival de Cine de Alcalá de Henares
International Short Film Festival Berlin
Kettupäivät 2023
III Riom Scientific Short Film Festival
Bucharest Short Film Festival
Animafest Gdansk
Minimalen Short Film Festival Beste Nordiske kunstfilm
III Pirineos Mountain Film Festival Best script
Scandinavian Wildlife FF
InScience Film Festival 2024 Student Jury Award for Best Short Film
Life After Oil IFF Special Mention
Flatpack 2024
Academia Film Olomouc
Dawson City International Film Festival
Film Fest Dresden
12th Camp d'Elx Rural FilmFest Best documentary short film “EcoFilm”
Zomerparkfeest festival
Voci dei Boschi
Silbersaltz -24
Digital Art Festival Kuopio 2025
Vera FF 2023
Joutseno Art Summer Best short film
Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival
Drama International Short Film Festival
Black Sea Film Festival Best short film
Rakkautta & Anarkiaa
Münster Film Festival
Encounters Bristol
EKOFILM IFF Festival President’s award
Science New Wave Festival
Uppsala SFF
ALCINE 52 - Festival de Cine de Alcalá de Henares
International Short Film Festival Berlin
Kettupäivät 2023
III Riom Scientific Short Film Festival
Bucharest Short Film Festival
Animafest Gdansk
Minimalen Short Film Festival Beste Nordiske kunstfilm
III Pirineos Mountain Film Festival Best script
Scandinavian Wildlife FF
InScience Film Festival 2024 Student Jury Award for Best Short Film
Life After Oil IFF Special Mention
Flatpack 2024
Academia Film Olomouc
Dawson City International Film Festival
Film Fest Dresden
12th Camp d'Elx Rural FilmFest Best documentary short film “EcoFilm”
Zomerparkfeest festival
Voci dei Boschi
Silbersaltz -24
Digital Art Festival Kuopio 2025
