Narrating the message for those who cannot speak for themselves

‘The New Children’s Hospital – a gift to the children of Finland’ – the documentary

The New Children’s Hospital opened its doors in 2018 after years of controversy. The old hospitals Lastenklinikka and Lastenlinna had been crumbling down for a while and as the government had failed to take action fast enough, the building project had become a high-profile case, followed and discussed widely by the media and the people of Finland.

Back in 2016 a work group, had recognized the need to record and tell the tale of The New Children’s Hospital.

Having followed the case and surrounding conversation, we wanted to take a step back and place this new chapter in a historical context. It was important to explain the impact that The New Children’s Hospital would have to children’s healthcare in Finland. After all, it was a project funded by the people, for the people.

The making of a full-length documentary was proposed to Helsinki University Hospital and the leading commercial broadcasting company, MTV3 and was met with a warm welcome. ‘The New Children’s Hospital – a gift to the children of Finland’ was set to be released coinciding with the opening of the hospital.

The creation of the film wasn’t easy. There were time limits and challenges coordinating shoots with personnel whose primary job is to save lives. Creating a functioning storyline that needed to touch so many topics was equally a challenge. However, the obstacles were quickly forgotten by the sight of children in awe of the hospital, created just for them.

The full-length documentary was broadcasted on prime time in 2019, following a feature on MTV3’s morning show. During the year of its release, the film gathered an audience of over 300 000 households on linear TV and online.

Interested in hearing more?

Contact
Edvin Franck
edvin.franck@smidig.fi
+358 50 352 9990