The Only New Christmas Story You Need

There are plenty of holiday movies, but none of them are Rare Exports. At just 84 minutes long, the 2010 Finnish movie is almost like a very long episode of television, and it moves just as quickly. A little boy and his friend find some Americans atop a nearby mountain; one of them is speechifying about something buried there, something old and legendary. Maybe, Pietari (Onni Tommila) thinks, it’s Santa Claus. His friend Juuso (Ilmari Järvenpää), a little older and worldlier, thinks this is ridiculous. But Pietari, like a little Finnish Willow Rosenberg from Buffy, hits the books, discovering that the “Coca-Cola Santa” is a fraud. The real Santa is something much, much darker, the punishment for bad behavior notably nastier than a lump of coal.

Director Jalmari Helander melds the Krampus myth perfectly onto that moment of childhood when belief is all the stronger for being challenged by skepticism. His clever little movie makes use of everything about its self-sufficient Finnish (and all-male) characters: the butchery and baking skills of Pietari’s father (Jorma Tommila); the terrible fallout of a dead herd of reindeer; the Santa suit Mr. Piiparinen (Rauno Juvonen) wears while visiting the neighborhood kids. Creepy, funny, ridiculous and jubilant, Rare Exports is required viewing in my house once the holiday season hits — but you should take the opportunity to see it at the Bijou Metro downtown this weekend. It’s even better on the big screen, creepy naked elves and all.

Rare Exports screens Dec. 20-26 at the Bijou Metro.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!