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Finland Funds Six Films

HELSINKI: The Finnish Film Foundation (www.ses.fi) awarded over 1.6 million euros in funding for six feature films in the May 2012 grants round, and an additional 675,000 euros funding for one feature film in the April grants round.

The following films received funding:

ABOVE DARK WATERS (TUMMAN VEDEN PÄÄLLÄ)

The movie, based on the novel with the same title by actor Peter Franzén, is a touching and sensitive story of growin up in Northern Finland. A small boy opens his eyes in the morning, astonished by the sunlight. The family life is as usual; meals together, playing with siblings and other kids. Everything appears to be familiar, almost idyllic. But the boy starts to hear noises during the nights; arguments and crying. The father disappears, the mother takes the kids to the grandparents' house. The child trusts his parents, unconditionally, admiring their wisdom and experience, full of hope and faith in the future. But what happens to the child when this image breaks? When the threats and fear become a daily routine?

Above Dark Waters is a sensitive but simultaneously hilarious story. Franzén captures the view of the world of a child with great detail; the story consists of small observations and eventually evolves to a great drama where childhood is no longer what it was supposed to be.

Director: Peter Franzén
Script: Peter Franzén
Producers: Markus Selin, Jukka Helle
Cinematography: Hena Bolmberg
Shooting schedule: August 2012, January 2013
Distribution in Finland: Oy Nordisk Film AB
Budget: 1 490 000,00 €
Total support of the Finnish Film Foundation: 630 000 EUR
Production company: Solar Films Inc (www.solarfilms.com)

 

THE ONLY ONES (NE AINOAT OIKEAT)

The Only Ones is a romantic comedy about a woman who finally finds her "Only One", but then the man mysteriously disappears. Her next great love appears, but happens to also be the Prime Minister of Finland.

Director: Saara Cantell
Script:  Outi Keskevaari
Producer: Jarkko Hentula
Shooting schedule: 09-10/2012 and 12/2012
Premiere: 25.12.2013
Distribution in Finland: Oy Nordisk Film AB
Financing TV company: MTV 3
Budget: 1 490 000,00 €
Total support of the Finnish Film Foundation: 700 000,00 €
Production company: Yellow Film & TV (www.yellowfilm.fi)

 

CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN MEN (MIESTEN VÄLISIÄ KESKUSTELUJA)

After eight successful satiric novels about Finnish politicians and cultural life Kari Mairisaari quit writing his ninth novel about the True Finns party members. Instead he starts writing a book about a bus mechanic. Not just about an average handyman, either. Vlatkosta, a 36-year-old Croat from Espoo, who is one day picked up to answer to war crimes charges.

Mairisaari has been following a Rwanda genocide trial at Porvoo city court and he's concerned about the questions, "Doesn't 15 years deacent life pay anything back?", " What does a young man feel after taking another person's life?"

Writing a novel is a serious challenge to Mairisaari. Could he walk the path where he has to relearn how to navigate through and to put at risk all that he has so far achieved? Does he have courage to create art that has a real meaning - for himself and for the reader?

Director: Jarmo Lampela
Shooting schedule: 10.3.2010-3.3.2011
Premiere: Autumn 2012
Distribution in Finland: Pirkanmaa Film Centre
Total support of the Finnish Film Foundation: 25 900,00 €
Production company: Vegetarian Films

 

PIONEER

The country gains confidence as it fights to secure its riches. Professional diver Peder is obsessed about reaching the bottom of the Norwegian Sea. Along with his brother Knut, he has the discipline, strength and courage necessary for the world's most dangerous job. A test dive to below 500 meters is compared to Norway's moon landing, and is meant to convince sceptics that laying a pipeline to the mainland is possible. For Peder, the question isn't whether it's feasible, but who'll take part. Then a tragic accident changes everything, and sends Peder on a journey, where he gradually loses sight of who's pulling which strings.

Director: Erik Skjoldbjærg
Script: Hans Gunnarsson, Cathinka Nicolaysen, Kathrine Valen Zeiner
Shooting schedule: 1.9.-15.12.2012
Premiere: 10/2013
Distribution in Finland: Oy Nordisk Film AB
Financing TV companies: NRK, SVT, ZDF
World sales: TrustNordisk
Budget: 5 555 559,00 €
Total support of the Finnish Film Foundation: 150 000,00 €
Production company: Friland Produksjon AS (Norway)
Co-production company: Matila Röhr Nordisk Oy (Finland)

 

DETECTIVE OFFICE LASSEMAJA - THE SEVEN WONDERS (LASSEMAJAS DETEKTIVBYRÅ - DE SJU UNDERVERKEN)

Lasse and Maija have decided to take some time off from their detective duties and go on a holiday. Nevertheless they end up in the middle of strange events. The lady Lilly Sparvén arrives in Valleby and has her seven diamonds with her. After many incidents Lasse and Maija are accused for beeing responsible of the diamond's disappearance. Now the holiday has to wait, as Lasse and Maija have to find who the real diamond thief is.

Director: Valter Söderlund
Script:  Peter Arrhenius
Shooting schedule: September-October 2012
Premiere: Autumn 2013
Distribution in Finland: FS Film Oy
Financing TV company: SVT, MTV3
Budget: 1 387 000,00 €
Total support of the Finnish Film Foundation: 100 000,00 €
Production company: AB Svensk Filmindustri (Sweden)
Co-production company: Kinoproduction Oy (Finland) 
 

KEKKONEN

Urho Kaleva Kekkonen, the long-time president of the Republic of Finland, is scheduled to visit Alli's Bar on his way to northern Finland. He is blindly worshiped and the nearer the visit draws, the more envy, competition and dirty tricks we see in a small town. 

Director: Marja Pyykkö
Script: Elias Koskimies (based on a novel by Pia Pesonen)
Shooting schedule: August-September 2012
Premiere: Autumn 2013
Distribution in Finland: Oy Nordisk Film Ab
Total support of the Finnish Film Foundation: 675 000,00 €
Production company: Solar Films Inc.

 

 

Report after The Finnish Film Foundation (www.ses.fi).