Three questions to Leena Pasanen
When do you get up and when do you go to sleep during the festival?
Well, the festival week is quite special: I do get up not before seven o ́clock I have to say, but then I usually go to sleep in the small hours somewhere around 2 am. My calender looks absolutely ridiculous, for the whole week I ́m just running from one place to another.
How many films do you usually watch in one month?
Depending on the month. I would say that in every month there are several films, because I travel to a lot to different festivals, workshops and marketplaces. Quite often they ́re unfinished films. When it comes to June, July and August, its our selection session. Then I watch hundreds of films, maybe 200-300 all together. Compared to our selection committee members that´s nothing, their average amount is 600-800 films.
One good and one bad habit you have?
I think I only have bad habits. Do I have good habits? I like helping strangers, maybe thats a good habit. Whenever I see somebody somehow in trouble I try to help them, if I can. My bad habit, I eat junk food, when I ́m tired and don ́t have any time to cook.
We met Leena Pasanen – the director of the DOK Festival – to talk about her filled time schedule and her love for documentaries and animations.