Eastern Memories

In this thought-provoking documentary, the journals of the Finnish linguist G. J Ramstedt are narrated, following his travels to Mongolia, Japan and China, starting in 1898 as a 25-yearold linguistics researcher. Ramstedt firstly journeys to Mongolia to study the languages, including their relation to the Finnish tongue. He’s accompanied by his family as he embarks on the beginning of what became years of crucial research and discovery, as well as a six year long diplomatic career as Finland’s official representative in China, Japan and Siam.

The narration is accompanied not by old stock footage but by contemporary stories and film from modern life in Mongolia: ranging from Buddhist monasteries to night clubs to rappers still citing and remembering the linguist. Ramstedt’s research is influencing Mongolia’s people, even today. He’s remembered for putting Mongolian poetry onto paper and having a profound influence on their folk culture. The linguist’s travels take him from the rule of the Qing Dynasty to an independent Mongolia, to the Boxer Uprising and through the Chinese occupation of Outer Mongolia. He sets up the first Finnish mission in Tokyo in 1919, only to see it destroyed in the earthquake of 1923. Eastern Memories is a historic timeline as well as the personal story of a man who sacrificed his family to immerse himself within the Mongolian and Japanese social, political and linguistic culture.

With its sweeping shots of Mongolian and Japanese landscapes, EASTERN MEMORIES is a visual pleasure, capturing the beauty and traditions of these two countries. This debut feature from directors Martti Kaartinen and Niklas Kullström is stunning in its execution, bringing the past and present together in a seamless and beautiful tale of discovery.

- April McIntyre