Perfect Sweat Series Begins Filming

USA - English

• USA - Suomeksi
• USA - English

Inspired by the book "Sweat" by Mikkel Aaland and starring a host of characters, Perfect Sweat will take the form of an exploratory journey to every corner of the world. Each episode will take place in a new location that can be anything from a Navajo sweat lodge in Monument Valley to a serene Islamic hammam in Turkey to a crowded Sauna Aufguss contest in the middle of Berlin.

Within that there are three goals for each show:

a)  To visit someplace fascinating
b)  To understand why people have historically sweat in the location we are visiting and why they continue to do it today
c)  To meet some incredible and entertaining people along the way

In the Finnish sauna episode Aaland returns to Finland after 43 years and meets Samuel Aarnio, a young, local sauna enthusiast who represents a new Finland, one that celebrates sauna culture but in a way that makes some of the traditionalists uncomfortable.

The Sweat Bath

Throughout time and place, the sweat bath has comforted, healed, and strengthened social bonds between the rich and poor and the strong and weak. In Finland and much of the modern world, the sweat bath is known as the sauna. But the sauna is only part of the picture. In the middle east the sweat bath is known as the hammam, in Mexico the temescal, in Russia, the banya and among native Americans, it is known as the sweatlodge, each with their own passionate devotees, unique history, rituals, and architecture.

Over 40 years ago, photojournalist Mikkel Aaland, documented the world-wide phenomena of sweat bathing in his ground breaking book, Sweat.

Now, in this documentary series, sweat bathing guru Aaland teams up with local guides and retraces his steps in search of the Perfect Sweat. What he finds is an explosive rebirth in the ancient bathing traditions, traditions which include rituals that are meant to revive the human spirit and change the world.

Sit back and relax and travel with us on this amazing adventure. Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/735868326570107/

WHO WE ARE

MIKKEL AALAND, PRODUCER / HOST

Mikkel Aaland is an award-winning photographer and the best-selling author of fifteen books. Aaland's best known book is Sweat, The Illustrated History and Description of the Finnish Sauna, Russian Bania, Islamic Hamman, Japanese Mushi-buro, Mexican Temescal and American Indian & Eskimo Sweatlodge. He recently produced and hosted the first international "Perfect Sweat Summit" in San Francisco, a dynamic 2-day conference of the world's leading experts on the subject. Aaland, who leads photography workshops around the globe, is comfortable both in front and behind a camera. He has made numerous television appearances including the David Letterman show and he is the subject of several live-action video training films for Lynda.com.

MIKA HOTAKAINEN, DIRECTOR

Mika Hotakainen is a Finnish director and writer, known for the critically acclaimed films, Steam of Life (2010), Freedom to Serve (2004) and Ristin tie (2016). Mika is the director for the first Perfect Sweat segment, the Finnish Sauna, which began filming on July 25th, 2017.

SAMUEL AARNIO

Samuel Aarnio lives and works in the high tech and entertainment business in Helsinki, Finland. He is a certified sweat fanatic. He writes: "I am a young guy who just loves the sauna. I use it for everything - to relax from busy days, to plan my travel locations, keep up health and maintain a low stress level, for creativity, cardio, self medication, meditation and to meet new and old friends." Recently he made a weekend trip to Berlin with friends and squeezed in 16 sweat sessions at 16 different saunas.

VAARA

Varra is a film and TV production company located in Helsinki, Finland.

BRAY'S RUN PRODUCTIONS, LLC

Bray's Run Productions is an independent film production company, based in Seattle, that specializes in exploring culture and travel through the prism of charismatic people across the world.

SOURCE Bray's Run Productions