Soap Fever

With the Soviet Union’s dissolution dragging down the economy of neighboring Finland, the Scandinavian country was plunged in a period of protracted recession. And with no recovery in sight, a soap opera offered Finns a respite from the grim reality; the debut of The Bold and the Beautiful on television quickly amassed a vast and dedicated following, whereas the arrival of American idols in the country, on tour, elicited unprecedented frenzy. But beyond providing an indulgent, meta retrospective on the historical impact that the early 90s hit series had on Finland, Soap Fever also examines the circumstances in which the yearning for escapism reaches a breaking point, especially when everything seems bleak.