The Soviet liberation of Finnmark has become a somewhat neglected chapter in discussions in Norway about the Second World War. For THREE YEARS BEFORE THE AUTUMN director Svetlana Bokova has interviewed historians as well as ordinary citizens, and looked into recently de-classified documents from the war. She also presents footage from Soviet, German and British sources, thus giving a balanced view of the enormous sacrifices made on both sides of the Eastern war front.
This film is released of this film corresponds to the 70-year anniversary of the Petsamo-Kirkenes operations to liberate northern Kola and eastern Finnmark from German troops. A second film, THE FIGHTERS, will premiere in May 2015 and address the history of the Norwegian partisans.
