“Sirkka” is a documentary film about the life of Sirkka Tuomi Holm.
Her story is now available HERE on DVD!
Sirkka, who turned 99 this summer, has witnessed almost a century of Finnish-American history. From her grandfather fighting for the Reds during the Finnish Civil War to her immigrant parents’ involvement in labor strikes, to being trailed by the FBI and being the first woman on the East Coast to be subpoenaed to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee, Sirkka has led a fascinating life.
She spent years on the Finnish-American amateur stage and served overseas during World War II. She has spent her life fighting for what she believes in and the rights of others. She has devoted her life to progressive and liberal causes. An actress, activist and veteran, Sirkka has written and been involved in numerous books and research on Finnish-America, socialism, labor, peace activities and feminism. Sirkka’s column in the Finnish American Reporter is the most read and loved by subscribers.
Now it’s her turn to tell her story.
Given the depth and breadth of what Sirkka has fought for and endured in her near-century of life, this film is not only be an engaging work, but also an invaluable capsule of Finnish-American life and history that will surely resonate not only in present-day Finnish America, but with future generations of immigrant descendants as well.
This film was produced by Kristin Ojaniemi in partnership with the Finnish American Heritage Center, and premiered at Sirkka’s 99th birthday celebration in Francestown, New Hampshire in early August 2019.
The film is currently for sale on DVD, but the work is not done yet! To eventually make Sirkka’s story more widely known, we need to add closed captioning and subtitles for it to be marketable to public television, both in the U.S. and in Finland. These processes come with costs as well. To help support the production of “Sirkka,” click on the Donate button on this page.