100 Liters of Gold selected as Finnish Oscar submission
The Finnish jury has selected writer-director Teemu Nikki’s 100 Litres of Gold as the Finnish submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
A comedy with dark undertones, the film follows two middle-aged sisters, carrying on their family’s legacy as the best producers of local farmhouse ale, who are tasked with brewing enough ale for their city-dwelling third sister’s upcoming wedding.
The film stars Elina Knihtilä and Pirjo Lonka who were awarded with a joint Best Actress Award at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival last November.
The Finnish jury writes: “From an unusual premise has emerged a touching and memorable tragicomedy that finds its natural stage in a quintessentially Finnish, yet universally relatable rural setting.”
Teemu Nikki’s previous films include The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic (2021) and Euthanizer, which was also selected as the Finnish Oscar submission in 2018.
100 Litres of Gold is produced by Jani Pösö for It’s Alive Films. International sales are handled by MMM Film Sales.
The jury assembled by the Finnish Chamber of Films consisted of production designer Marjaana Rantama, costume designer Riitta Röpelinen, production assistant Iita Kymi, actor Katri-Maria Peltola, head of the Finnish Film Foundation’s international department Jaana Puskala, cinematographer Päivi Kettunen, screenwriter-director Jenni Toivoniemi, editor-director-producer Pauliina Punkki, composer Pessi Levanto, and producer Nina Laurio. The Jury was chaired by author and film Critic Kalle Kinnunen with Susanna Shepherd from the Finnish Chamber of Films acting as secretary.
The rules for the award are set by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Each country is invited to nominate one film for the International Feature Film category. This year, films that have been released theatrically between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025, are eligible.
The final Oscar nominees are announced on January 22, 2026, and the winner will be announced at the award ceremony taking place on March 15, 2026.