Oulujoki Chapter 5 – A Verse Against the Dark

OULUJOKI

The Chalice of Word and Poetry

Starring: Justin “Nordic Thunder” Howard
Violinist Erja Pätsi, Duo Rällä
Olli Heikkinen

Executive Producer Minna Keränen

Producer-director Olli Luoma-aho
Writer-director Janne Dahlman
Cinematographer & Editor Markus Valtanen
Sound designer Markus Valtanen
Lighting and camera assistant Lotta Leinonen
Prop master L. Leinonen
Assistant Juuso Lievonen
Title graphics Juuso Lievonen

Oulu Culture Events Association
Executive Director Pia Alatorvinen

Kajaani University of Applied Sciences
Saara Uusiheimala
Hanna Linjala

Oulu University Kerttu Saalasti Institute
Markus Rytinki

Oulu Culture Foundation / Oulu 2026
Pörhön Autoliike Oy

Vaala
Oulujärvi Luxury Hideouts
CEO Jenni Määttä
Kanttura Farm
Jaakko Alasaarela

Paltamo
Toy Museum Eilisen Lapset
Eija Homanen
Tapani Homanen

MUSIIKKI:
hakosalo_tuohino

Whoever controls the word controls knowledge. Whoever controls knowledge controls the world.”

Join us on an incredible adventure to build world peace. Justin Howard set out on an expedition to the banks of the Oulujoki River to find the legendary Chalice of Poetry to save the world, and to create a cultural tourism route stretching from Kuhmo to Oulu.

Along the way, Justin met a diverse group of people, from artists to historians, and got to experience the unique culture of the river valley region. This six-part video series delves beneath the surface and guides the viewer into the visitor’s inner landscape, where the people, landscapes, and natural beauty of Northern Ostrobothnia and Arctic Lakeland have left an unforgettable impression.

The series explores fundamental questions and reflects on the meaning of life, art, memories, and love. Each episode highlights gems along the river and themes that run throughout the entire series.

The first episode will be released on Friday, August 14, at 4:00 p.m. on the Pohjoinen kulttuurivirta channel at pohjoinenkulttuurivirta.fi.

The video series is part of the “Oulujoki: A Cultural Tourism Route from the Oulujoki River to the World” project. The main implementer of the project is the Oulu Cultural Events Association, and the co-implementers are the Kerttu Saalasti Institute at the University of Oulu and Kajaani University of Applied Sciences. The project has received EU rural funding from the Northern Finland Vitality Centre.