The Finnish Film Foundation Awarded Nearly 6,4 Million Euros in Production Support in February
Four of the supported films will be their directors’ feature debut. The Artistic Director of the Turku City Theatre Mikko Kouki (b. 1967), also known as a regular actor in Aku Louhimies’ films, will direct Fingerpori, a comedy based on the popular comic strip by Pertti Jarla.
Miia Tervo’s (b. 1980) Aurora is a dark romantic comedy set in an Arctic ghetto. Maria K. Mononen’s Bleeding Eyes is a comedy on jealousy and teenage girls. Markus Lehmusruusu (b. 1983) will be the director of the seventh instalment in the popular children’s film cycle Ricky Rapper (Risto Räppääjä).
Four biopics are also in the works. Zaida Bergroth’s (Miami, The Good Son) new project is based on true events following Maria Åkerblom, a magnetic leader of a religious sect of the 1920s. Two biopics will focus on popular singers, Juice Leskinen (directed by Teppo Airaksinen) and Kari Tapio (directed by Aleksi Mäkelä), and media figure, businessman Jari Sarasvuo gets his story told by Tuukka Temonen.
Minority co-productions include the feature documentary End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock produced by Red Queen Media (United States) and Solar Films Inc., En del av mitt hjärta produced by Unlimited stories (Sweden) and MRP Matila Röhr Productions, and Goodbye Soviet Union produced by Exitfilm (Estonia) and Bufo.
The supported projects are:
Feature fiction
Aurora Director: Miia TervoScript: Miia Tervo
Producers: Max Malka Fingerpori Director: Mikko Kouki
Script: Petja Lähde, Mikko Kouki, Pertti Jarla
Producers: Nina Laurio / Solar Films Inc. Bleeding Eyes Director: Maria K. Mononen
Script: Maria K. Mononen
Producers: Mika Ritalahti, Niko Ritalahti / Silva Mysterium Jääkausi Director: Matti Kinnunen
Script: Juha Koiranen, Matti Kinnunen
Producers: Juha Kukkonen / Vegetarian Films Maria’s Children Director: Zaida Bergroth
Script: Anna Viitala
Producers: Daniel Kuitunen, Kaisla Viitala / Komeetta Olen suomalainen Director: Aleksi Mäkelä
Script: Marko Leino
Producers: Jukka Helle, Markus Selin / Solar Films Inc. Ragged Life of Juice Leskinen Director: Teppo Airaksinen
Script: Antti Heikki Pesonen
Producers: Marko Talli / Yellow Film & TV Risto Räppääjä ja pullistelija 50/50 production support
Director: Markus Lehmusruusu
Script: Sinikka Nopola ja Tiina Nopola
Producers: Rimbo Salomaa, Jukka Helle, Markus Selin / Solar Films Inc. Supercool 50/50 production support
Director: Teppo Airaksinen
Script: Ali Moussavi, Olli Haikka
Producers: Olli Haikka, Marko Talli / Yellow Film & TV Tarhapäivä 50/50 production support
Director: Marja Pyykkö
Script: Marko Leino
Producers: Jukka Helle, Markus Selin / Solar Films Inc. Trainer Director: Tuukka Temonen
Script: Heini Heikkilä
Producers: Olga Temonen, Tuukka Temonen / Optipari
Minority co-productions:
En del av mitt hjärta Feature film, Sweden/FinlandDirector: Edward af Sillén
Script: Lars Johansson
Producers: Patrick Ryborn, Ilkka Matila
Finnish minority co-producer: MRP Matila Röhr Productions End of the Line: The Women of Standing Rock Feature documentary, United States/Finland
Director: Shannon Kring
Script: Shannon Kring
Producers: Shannon Kring, Sophia Ehrnrooth
Finnish minority co-producer: Solar Films Inc. Goodbye Soviet Union Feature film, Estonia/Finland
Director: Lauri Randla
Script: Lauri Randla
Producers: Osku Pajamäki, Peeter Urbla / Exitfilm OÜ
Finnish minority co-producer: Bufo
TV Series
Hour of the Wolf – A Radical Method to Find a Better You Thanks to Divorce Director: Juha LankinenScript: Laura Immonen
Producers: Seija-Liisa Eskola, Antti Väisänen, Jarno Virtanen
Documentaries
Brides of Nepal Director: Tiina MadissonScript: Tiina Madisson
Producer: Kirsi Mattila, Joonas Kauppinen / Icebreaker Productions But I’m Still Alive Director: Joonas Berghäll
Script: Joonas Berghäll
Producer: Joonas Berghäll, Satu Majava / Oktober Club Colombia Director: Jenni Kivistö, Jussi Rastas
Script: Jenni Kivistö, Jussi Rastas
Producer: Markku Tuurna / Filmimaa Communist Daughter Director: Jani Peltonen
Script: Jani Peltonen
Producer: Pertti Veijalainen / Illume Ltd. Forbidden Bicycle Director: Rasoul Khorram
Script: Rasoul Khorram
Producer: Merja Ritola / Greenlit Productions How to Replace Me? Director: Iiris Härmä
Script: Iiris Härmä
Producer: Visa Koiso-Kanttila / Guerillafilms Northern Travelogues Director: Kira Jääskeläinen
Script: Kira Jääskeläinen
Producer: Jouko Aaltonen / Illume Ltd. Rooted With Wings Director: Thomas Freundlich
Script: Thomas Freundlich
Producer: Mete Sasioglu / Lumikinos Production Wheels of Freedom Director: Aleksi Puranen
Script: Aleksi Puranen
Producer: Pasi Hakkio / Pohjola-filmi
Short Films
Ash Produced in the Swedish-language Kortfilm 2017 projectDirector: Ville Tanttu
Script: Kristofer Möller
Producer: Ville Tanttu / Studio Lumo A Chamber Play Produced in the Swedish-language Kortfilm 2017 project
Director: Viktor Granö
Script: Viktor Granö
Producer: Viktor Granö / Ljud och bild Ha Ha Ha Produced in the Loikka 2018 dance film project
Director: Samuli Valkama
Script: Samuli Valkama
Producer: Mete Sasioglu / Sons of Lumière Human Flesh Director: Jani Ruscica
Script: Jani Ruscica
Producer: Jani Ruscica / Askel tuotannot Match Produced in the Swedish-language Kortfilm 2017 project
Director: Pia Andell
Script: Pia Andell
Producer: Pia Andell / Of Course My Films The Sinkhole Produced in the Swedish-language Kortfilm 2017 project
Director: Sawandi Groskind
Script: Sawandi Groskind, Quynh Tran
Producer: Teresa Ekman / Parad Media Still Lives Director: Elli Vuorinen
Script: Elli Vuorinen
Producer: Terhi Väänänen / Pyjama Films Target Director: Antti Heikki Pesonen
Script: Antti Heikki Pesonen
Producer: Miia Haavisto / Tekele Productions