PODCAST | Matt Micucci interviews Tuija Halttunen, director of the film How to Kill a Cloud.
A conversation with Tuija Halttunen, director of How to Kill a Cloud, presented at CPH:DOX. The film talks about a Finnish female scientist trying to create rain in the United Arab Emirates desert and touches on the ethical questions this raises, also by looking at its bureaucracy. In this conversation, Halttunen talks about her fascinating with clouds, how she was able to gain such insight on this topic and more.
How to Kill a Cloud: Hannele Korhonen has sky-high ambitions. When the Finnish scientist receives 1.5 million USD from the United Arab Emirates for a project, she sees the opportunity to give her vision a try and bring about the impossible: to make it rain in the desert. Science and technology are, in fact, in the process of interfering with nature’s order and inducing artificial rain over the arid but very wealthy oil state. But on the other side of the laudatory speeches, Hannele gradually sees that her generous sponsors are harbouring their own agendas. Politics and research are hard to separate, and soon the scientist from the far north is faced with an ethical dilemma, heralded by the quote by Goethe at the beginning of Tuija Halttunen’s highly topical film. Has Hannele, in fact, entered into a Faustian pact and put her scientific integrity at risk? And should we really tinker with ecosystems on such a large scale? She is not the only person who has to confront the diabolical dilemma at a time when research based on private funds is gaining ground.
A double victory for Woman Unknown, major prizes for established auteurs and a strong showing for political cinema, new talent and Italian performers. The complete verdict of the Venice Film Festival 2026.
Presented out of competition in the Open section of Venice 83, Theo Rollason and Peter Tatchell trace Derek Jarman's legacy and today's fight for LGBTQ+ rights in Queer Edward II
"Listy-Letters from the Silenced Country" by director Andrei Kutsila reveals intimate stories of Belarusian prisoners and exiles, giving voice to resilience and hope amid repression.
"Guria" by director Levan Koguashvili offers a captivating blend of humor and tragedy set in 90s Georgia, highlighting human resilience and authentic stories from post-Soviet times.