Media|Film researcher Marjo Kovanen compares the horror of Finnish and Anglo -American children’s films in her doctoral dissertation.
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In his doctoral dissertation, Marjo Kovanen examines the horror features of children’s films and their benefits.
According to Kovanen, frightening children’s films can teach media skills and emotional handling.
There are differences in the horror features of Finnish and Anglo-American children’s films, but the genre movie is becoming more common in Finland.
In children’s films There have always been scary elements that refer to the horror, even directly. Hand boldly up if you have received nightmares from Disney movies!
Of course, this is influenced by the traditions of fairy tale, where children are not shocked. According to several spectators, children also want a touch of excitement for their films.
It is worth paying more attention to the horror content of children, says a film researcher and film education expert Marjo Kovanen.
But not in the sense of censorship or resentment:
“From the point of view of film education, scary children’s films have a lot to offer,” Kovanen says.
Marjo Kovanen
Through horror elements, children can learn both critical media skills and active views as well as identifying different aesthetics.
They also have a safe handling channel for fears and emotional reactions aroused by movies, and other media environment.
Today At the National Audiovisual Institute (KAVI) and for a long time on the horror features of Kovanen’s children’s films, who worked for a long time dissertation Reviewed in January at the University of Tampere.
In his doctoral dissertation, Kovanen compares the horror of Finnish and Anglo -American children’s films. According to him, there are recognizable differences between them.
Anglo -American children’s films such as Kovanen explored Coraline and another reality (2009), contain direct references to the genre of adult horror films. They also go more often to the supernatural side.
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According to Kovanen, too often, intimidation is considered unequivocally harmful to children.
Finnish children’s films are more influenced by traditions of Nordic art and realism. This is evidenced by another work by Ulrika Bengts, analyzed by Ulrika Bengts in his doctoral dissertation Iris (2011), where horror is clearly limited to the imagination of the child’s head.
Kovanen estimates that in Finland, literary children’s culture has traditionally been valued higher than the film. We were made relatively shortly before the 21st century.
Although Indeed, Finland has a long tradition of cinematic realism, the genre movie has become more common in recent years. According to Kovanen, it is reflected in the horror elements of children’s films.
For example, Arto Halonen Antero careful and lucky stone (2023) refers to adult vampire stories while Teemu Nikin In Rää and Riskis (2024) The crazy scientist with his minions is encountered by science fiction.
“I am welcomed by this development and encourage domestic filmmakers, and especially financiers to promote a varied children’s film, without forgetting fright,” Kovanen says.
Although children are proven to enjoy scary films, they also arouse strong emotional reactions that an adult may be difficult to treat.
According to Kovanen, too often, intimidation is considered unequivocally harmful to children. There is no benefit for full control.
Kids’ movies The nightmares and anxiety caused are, of course, real phenomena, but one of the frightening issues may include fruitful educational moments. This applies to school classes and homes.
“Above all, it requires genuine interest in children’s culture and its different parties, that is, scary, in it,” Kovanen says.