{"id":1364,"date":"2025-02-08T16:14:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-08T14:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/docpoint.fi\/?p=1364"},"modified":"2025-11-26T16:15:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T14:15:12","slug":"a-community-behind-the-scenes-volunteers-make-docpoint-happen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.docpoint.ee\/test\/en\/festival-magazine\/a-community-behind-the-scenes-volunteers-make-docpoint-happen\/","title":{"rendered":"A community behind the scenes \u2013 Volunteers make DocPoint happen\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This year\u2019s DocPoint Documentary Film Festival gathered more volunteer applications than ever before \u2013 due to the popularity the call had to be closed earlier than planned. Altogether 124 enthusiastic volunteers aged 17\u201376 were chosen to work at the festival. The multitude of volunteers\u2019 tasks ranged from ticket sales to ushering and from driving to communications. We visited the volunteers to find out what brings them to the festival.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n


Community-enthusiast Ruusu returns to a familiar task<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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<\/strong>Ruusu Kallioinen \u2013 ticket sales<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What made you apply as a volunteer to DocPoint this year?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have volunteered at DocPoint since 2019. I have also volunteered at the Love & Anarchy film festival and the Midnight Sun Film Festival. Usually I have worked at ticket sales, but I have also been a theatre supervisor and an usher. After several years of volunteer work I look forward to meeting familiar faces and the community that has formed at festivals, but most of all I am eager to use my free tickets to see the films of DocPoint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which film are you particularly excited for?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I haven\u2019t decided my full schedule for the week, but I am at least looking forward to Mikki Noroila\u2019s Karelian language short film Yritin \u0161uaha h\u00e4net kuvah onnakko hi\u00e4n kato<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo: Alejandro Ramirez<\/p>\n\n\n\n


First-timer Aliisa was driven by their passion for films<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aliisa Ylikoski: Communications<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What made you apply as a volunteer to DocPoint this year?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Films are an important hobby for me and I spend most of my free time watching them. I wanted to experience something new, catch a glimpse of work in the culture sector and since I only moved to the Helsinki area recently, I also wanted to meet new people. I work with marketing and communications, so the communications team appealed to me the most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your tasks at the festival like?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have done all kinds of assisting communications tasks both at the DocPoint office as well as at the theatres participating in the festival. I have, for example, translated texts, written social media posts, interviewed festival-goers and photographed material for social media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which films are you planning to see yourself?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, on the opening day of the festival, I\u2019m planning to see the film Housewife of the Year<\/em>. That is one of many films I find interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Manuel is intrigued by the Finnish film scene<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Manuel D\u00edaz Tufino: Info desk<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What made you apply as a volunteer to DocPoint?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I became a volunteer for the opportunity to see films, meet new people and see the vibe of the Finnish film industry. This is my first time at DocPoint, but I have volunteered once at Love & Anarchy, also at the info desk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the most interesting part of your volunteer post?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most interesting aspects of the info desk are to learn Finnish by working and interacting with people. Also, it\u2019s interesting to be where the festival happens and experience it more deeply instead of just passing by briefly as a visitor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which film or films are you most looking forward to?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m looking forward to the film A Family<\/em>, which explores very painful tensions and conflicts within a family. I\u2019m also eager to see the film Apple Cider Vinegar<\/em> since I share the filmmakers\u2019 fascination with stones. Preemptive listening<\/em> also seems really interesting, alarm sounds are a fascinating topic. Also, the amount of Q&As at Docpoint surprised me! It\u2019s great to hear more about the film from its creator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo: Giovanni-Ferri<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roberto gets energized by meeting like minded people<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Roberto Puentes: Photographer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you volunteered before and what made you apply this year?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is my second time volunteering at DocPoint festival. I have also volunteered at the Love & Anarchy film festival and I am actively involved in the Cinemaiss\u00ed film festival that showcases Latin American film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The community formed around film festivals motivates me to be an active part in them. Interacting with people who share similar interests gives me energy. I obviously love films and I find documentaries a very important form of film. Through them you can convey important portrayals of societies at a certain time and of people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is working as a photographer at DocPoint like?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I move from one theatre and event to another and try to capture the atmosphere of the festival on camera and communicate through photographs and video. I enjoy photographing and being behind the camera and observing situations. For me, photographing at Docpoint does not even feel like work \u2013 I really enjoy it. I\u2019m always having fun; I get to see familiar faces, meet new people and to contribute to the work of the Finnish film industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What kind of people would you recommend working at DocPoint for?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone who is interested in stories and people, and who feels like they would be able to contribute to the festival. Other factors, like age, gender or background, do not matter. That is what\u2019s best about this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which films at DocPoint do you recommend?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I really enjoyed An Echo of You<\/em>. It was so refreshing to see elderly people on screen and hear their stories. White House Effect <\/em>was also great. It was actually almost sad to see how long climate change has been discussed, but it is important that it is continuously brought up. I am also looking forward to the film Wisdom of Happiness<\/em> \u2013 having moved from Mexico to Finland I have seen two very different approaches to happiness. I would also like to recommend the 20th Cinemaissi film festival happening next autumn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo: Alejandro Ramirez<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lili enjoys checking tickets and sharing the experience<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Lili Eweis: Vahtimestari<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you volunteered before and what made you apply this year?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have meant to apply for many years, but have always missed the call. But now I\u2019m here! I have also volunteered at other festivals before, so the work is familiar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which tasks are included in your volunteer post and how have you liked them?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I inspect customers\u2019 tickets and introduce the film. We also clean the biggest trash after each screening. I really like ticket inspection: There\u2019s something fun seeing people in a film-going-mood and being able to say \u201cwelcome, enjoy the film\u201d to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the best thing about volunteering?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I like being able to get to know the industry and movie theatres this way. The reward of getting to see films is also great \u2013 it\u2019s really worth it. I also love meeting people who share similar interests. And all the customers who come to the screenings, we share something together at that moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which film are you most looking forward to?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am most excited for the film I\u2019m Not Everything I Want to Be<\/em>. I also saw Lesvia<\/em>, it was really good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photo: Elsa Meklin<\/p>\n\n\n\n


First-timer Gisela volunteered for her interest in films<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n


<\/strong>Have you volunteered before and what made you apply this year?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is my first time ever volunteering at any film festival. This is a nice place to start and I gain useful experience. I am interested in films and thought that this would be a nice experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which tasks are included in your volunteer post and how have you liked them?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major task is the ticket inspection, and introducing the move to the audience. So far I have liked it a lot, it is really fun. It has been nice to meet people and everyone has been in a good mood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which film are you most looking forward to?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am most excited for the films Two Forests<\/em> and I\u2019m Not Everything I Want to Be<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Volunteers Are a Vital Part of DocPoint<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n


<\/strong>The volunteers at DocPoint are the heart of the festival, and their contribution is invaluable to its success. Volunteers not only take care of practical arrangements but also bring joy, a sense of community, and enthusiasm. The festival\u2019s executive director, Johanna R\u00e5man, emphasizes the importance of volunteer work for DocPoint and its audience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVolunteers play an absolutely vital role in making DocPoint happen. Without them, none of this would be possible. In uncertain times, people long for meaningful encounters. It\u2019s fantastic if our festival can be a unifying and community-building experience for our volunteers from diverse backgrounds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Volunteers bring a wide range of skills to the festival, some of which the organizers could never have anticipated, making their contributions even more valuable. Different backgrounds and experiences enrich the event in many ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s amazing how volunteers bring in expertise that we didn\u2019t even expect. DocPoint volunteers have very diverse backgrounds and skills. The best part is when we can match these skills with the right tasks, allowing volunteers to gain meaningful experience. It\u2019s also wonderful to hear that volunteers have met each other through their work and made new friends along the way,\u201d says Riikka Haapanen, volunteer coordinator and former volunteer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this year\u2019s DocPoint inspired you to volunteer, now is the perfect time to follow the festival\u2019s channels! Next year\u2019s volunteer application process will open at the end of the year, and the first to hear about it will be those following DocPoint\u2019s social media and subscribing to the newsletter. Don\u2019t miss the chance to be part of a unique festival community!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: Roberto Puentes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Noora J\u00e4rnefelt, Aliisa Ylikoski, Elsa Meklin, Moritz M\u00fcller, Irina Hasala, Viima Nurmi<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cover Photo: Alejandro Ramirez<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This year\u2019s DocPoint Documentary Film Festival gathered more volunteer applications than ever before \u2013 due to the popularity the call had to be closed earlier than planned. Altogether 124 enthusiastic volunteers aged 17\u201376 were chosen to work at the festival. The multitude of volunteers\u2019 tasks ranged from ticket sales to ushering and from driving to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":1365,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-festival-magazine"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.docpoint.ee\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.docpoint.ee\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.docpoint.ee\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.docpoint.ee\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.docpoint.ee\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1364"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.docpoint.ee\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1364\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1366,"href":"https:\/\/www.docpoint.ee\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1364\/revisions\/1366"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.docpoint.ee\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1365"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.docpoint.ee\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.docpoint.ee\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.docpoint.ee\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}