The film director talks with his friend, “the other Jim Ojala” about why and how he made a feature fictional film based on the actual true experiences of children who discovered deformed frogs in a Minnesota pond.

Join Jim Ojala as he talks about his eco-thriller film (2018). National distribution rights to this film have recently been returned to Ojala Productions, and Ojala has prepared a new release. Join filmmaker and creature effects artist Jim Ojala for a wild, behind-the-scenes journey through the decade-long odyssey of making his first feature film, the eco-thriller Strange Nature. From failed financing attempts and DIY test footage to wild publicity stunts in Duluth and a game-changing Kickstarter campaign, Ojala lays bare the grit it took to bring monsters—and meaning—to life. Hear how he battled the elements, egos, and epic swarms of mosquitoes while filming deep in the Minnesotan wilds, all driven by a Finnish-rooted respect for nature. If you’ve ever dreamed of making a movie (or surviving one), this is a story you don’t want to miss. “Strange Nature,” while fiction, is based on the1995 school children’s discovery of deformed frogs living in a Minnesota pond, a discovery that ignited a new world-wide concern about the effects of pollution on the environment.

FinnFest is also showing the film “Strange Nature” on Saturday at 8 PM at Zinema 2 (Zeitgeist) in downtown Duluth.