A portrait of Majamaja and the Finnish archipelago Majamaja is a ten minute boat ride from the center of Helsinki. It’s an off grid house designed by Pekka Littow in the Helsinki archipelago.The Finnish archipelago is one of the largest in the world and throughout time its islands have offered livelihoods, shelter, adventure, waterways for transportation, and places of joy and rest for the local communities. For the film I was inspired by the slow approach of the photographer Paul Strand. I wanted to create a dialogue between landscapes and portraits In the archipelago one quickly forgets. There is a feeling of being far and disconnected yet very close to the primal. It’s a special atmosphere with a certain slowness. It’s surrounded in myth, something that lies deep in the woods, in the reflections of the water, in the sounds of the trees and traditions passed down from ancient sources. Maja means shelter in Finnish and we can not only feel it’s simplicity and vitality but its understanding and necessity for change. I wanted to express the transformative power of such a place. To slow down time and to connect. To show how the different elements can shape our way of looking at the world and create a better harmony with nature. By reaching out to our surroundings we can inspire ourselves to create a more reasonable environment. Above all Majamaja is deeply human and the archipelago is a place of connectedness and its traditions inspire human warmth and open a door to future dreams and possibilities.

Julien is from Lausanne, Switzerland but has lived most of his life abroad; United States, Brazil, South Africa before settling in Paris, France. After working for the fashion industry many years his approach to films has become almost photographic; always trying to find honesty, beauty and emotions through the directness of a frame. He is interested in films in relation to the world, his work gravitates around a specific feeling and place that he hopes can connect the viewer to something deep inside ourselves.