News

“Kalevala,” a compilation of epic poetry drawn from Karelian and Finnish folklore and mythology, is full of violence, but director Antti J. Jokinen – who has adapted the book for his film “Kalevala: The Story of Kullervo,” set in the 1100s and centering on the tragic hero Kullervo – has “no interest” in that.

“It won’t be a super violent film. We have fight sequences, the swords are heavy and the actors have been training for a year now. But it’s more interesting to show the impact violence has on people,” he tells Variety.

Jokinen has already dealt with a similar dilemma in “Purge,” taking on human trafficking and sexual cruelty. “I cut out a lot of [the violence] from the original book but its writer Sofi [Oksanen] was adamant: ‘Don’t clean it up too much.’ The violence towards women needed to be shown. This time, I had more freedom, because everyone...

Sf Studios is set to co-produce and distribute “Kalevala: The Story of Kullervo,” a big-budget historical drama based on Finland’s national epic “Kalevala” which will be directed Antti J. Jokinen.

Nordic stars Elias Salonen and and Eero Aho (“The Unknown Soldier”) are set to star in leading roles. Johanna Enäsuo and Marko Röhr, at ReelMedia are producing the film, while Sf Studios will distribute the film in the Nordics with an expected theatrical release in Finnish theaters in early 2026. REinvent has boarded international sales.

“Kalevala: The Story of Kullervo” marks the first feature film adaptation of the Finnish national epic poetry compilation “Kalevala” which blends Karelian and Finnish folklore and mythology, and was created in 1835 by Elias Lönnrot, a Finnish doctor and explorer.

Set in the 1100’s, the period film will be mainly shot on location in Bomba, near the Lake Pielinen in Nurmes in North Karelia. Extensive sets are being built,...

A Good Family, season 1. Anna (Maria Sid) and Henrik (Samuli Edelmann). Courtesy of MHz Choice

The title of the six-episode Finnish drama, “A Good Family (Musta valo),” must have been meant ironically, since the leads may try to be one but fall well short of the goal line. Anna (Maria Sid) is a top police detective; hubby Henrik (Samuli Edelmann) is a former crime novelist who turned to teaching aspiring writers. They have two sons – adult Niko (Elias Salonen), who can’t steer clear of the “friends” who’d landed him in jail; and young Mikael (Paavo Usvola), who is adorable between panic attacks. The season covers Niko’s latest misdeed and his parents’ increasingly dubious efforts to protect him in what’s meant to be a thriller.

The handful of credited writers succeed on the suspense part. We really don’t know who will live or die; get caught...

At its latest edition, which takes place parallel to the Helsinki Intl. Film Festival — Love & Anarchy, the Finnish Film Affair will again host its well-received Nordic Flair training program, an initiative designed to offer career development for film professionals from across the Nordic region.

After a 2022 edition that focused on sales agents, distributors, buyers and broadcast commissioners, this year’s event will host actors working in one or more of the Nordic countries. Maria Pirkkalainen-Barber, head of Finnish Film Affair and Nordic Flair, says the goal in Helsinki is to offer a launching pad for rising talents looking to take the next step in their careers.

“The opportunities for actors to develop their own chances for an international breakthrough can be challenging, and access to agents and casting directors is competitive. Not to mention how the pandemic years made it more difficult for actors to build international networks,” Pirkkalainen-Barber says.