Highlights of OMVF day two: European music video competition, Derek Jarman’s music videos and City Symphony 2.0

Friday at Oulu Music Video Festival brings an exciting mix of international guests, cinema classics, new music videos and discussions on the future of moving images. The day’s programme features works from the inaugural European Music Video Competition alongside special screenings that challenge the boundaries between experimental film and the music video form.

At the heart of the day is the European Music Video Competition, screening at 17.00 in Valve Hall. Fourteen videos were selected from a total of 161 submissions. The competition programme brings together personal memories, political resistance, queer joy and the imagery of the digital age. Ranging from handcrafted visual worlds to typographic experiments and abstract visions, the screening offers a unique perspective on the current state of the European music video. Admission is free, and several filmmakers will be present for the Friday screening.

Friday also features five screenings from the Finnish Music Video Competition. Prypjat, Pompeji and Atlantis will be shown at Studio Cinema at 12.00–14.00, while Shangri-La and Eldorado screen in Valve Hall at 15.00 and 16.00. Together, the screenings offer audiences a comprehensive look at this year’s Finnish competition programme across multiple venues.

Before the European Competition, Studio Cinema presents a journey through music video history. Screening at 15.00 PM, It’s Not A Sin: The Music Videos of Derek Jarman brings together videos the legendary British filmmaker created during the 1980s for artists including The Smiths, Pet Shop Boys, Marianne Faithfull, Patti Smith and Suede. The programme demonstrates how far ahead of his time Jarman was in creating visual works whose influence can still be seen in contemporary music videos and visual albums. Curator and producer James Mackay will attend the screening.

At 18.00 in Valvesali, the free admission discussion The Post-Digital Era of Music Videos tackles one of the most timely questions in audiovisual culture. Why are increasing numbers of artists returning to film at the same moment that artificial intelligence is becoming commonplace in creative production? Are analogue methods and generative AI opposing forces, or part of the same technological continuum? The discussion features film journalist Kalle Kinnunen, Latvian filmmaker and artist Ieva Balode, and German artist Marc Richter, and is moderated by OMVF Artistic Director Joel Karppanen.

The highlight of Friday evening arrives at 19.30 in Valvesali with City Symphony 2.0. Exploring a century of the city symphony genre, the programme combines experimental cinema classics with contemporary works. Featured films include Walter Ruttmann’s groundbreaking sound film Wochenende, Michael Snow’s dazzling Cityscape, and John Smith’s classic Blight. The programme also includes the world premiere of Helmi Kajaste, Käärmeniemi and Mika Taanila’s live cinema performance Radiaali näkemys (Radial Vision), where spoken word, 16mm film and radio waves come together as an expanded cinema experience.

Studio’s evening programme also includes a rare screening of director Mohammed Shebl’s cult film Anyab at 5:00 PM. This 1981 Egyptian reinterpretation of The Rocky Horror Picture Show blends horror, camp aesthetics, disco musical conventions and social satire in a way that has made it one of the Arab world’s most distinctive cult classics.

The day’s screening programme concludes at 21.00 with the Finnish premiere of Barrio Triste at Studio Cinema. The debut feature from acclaimed music video director Stillz begins as a found-footage narrative set in Medellín before gradually transforming into a dreamlike psychophysical horror film. The filmmaker, known for his work with Bad Bunny, combines magical realism, youth culture and the haunting music of Arca. The film is produced by Harmony Korine.

There is plenty of activity beyond the screening venues as well. The audiovisual exhibition Ghost Archives is on view at Valve Gallery from 9–21, while Gallery MABD hosts the UOMA Project Group Exhibition from 13–18. At Snooker Time, the Finnish Showcase (Kotimainen katselmus) continues with programmes 7–12 throughout the day. Later in the evening, festival audiences can enjoy a club night featuring Jam “J” and Sweatneck, while OMVF’s legendary Music Video Jukebox offers access to the festival’s extensive music video archive.

The festival atmosphere continues in Valve’s Silakkalounge, where a rotating lineup of DJs provides the soundtrack throughout the day. Friday’s programme features Otto August (12–14 o’clock), MatsonJetson (14–16), Higami’s Hauntological After Work (16–18), Ellea (18–20), and DJ goodsoul (20–21). Higami’s set combines DJ practice and spoken reflection in the form of a lecture-performance.

Daily schedules, ticket information and additional details can be found at www.omvf.net.