The mafia on snowmobiles TV project based on a book by Mikko-Pekka Heikkinen will be produced by Kaiho Republic.

Reindeer Mafia (Poromafia) tells the story of the reindeer-rich Nelihanka family that rules the fell county of Utsjoki through property grabs and blackmail. The eldest son Jyppyrä who runs the Wolverine SC snowmobile club becomes the challenger of this cosa nostra of the far north. At stake in the clash between the two criminal factions is not only the control of the fell village but the future of traditional Sami lifestyle.

Producer and Kaiho Republic CEO Liisa Penttilä-Asikainen told nordicfilmandtvnews: “We bought the rights to Mikko-Pekka Heikkinen’s book published last August and we’re planning to create a high-end TV drama. We are already in discussions with international distributors who love the book and see its strong TV potential. “The names of the writers/creators are still to be announced.

The experienced producer and former Edith Film CEO Liisa Penttilä-Asikainen who runs Kaiho Republic together with producer/music manager Pete Eklund and actor/musician Samuli Edelmann has several other projects on her slate.

  • The TV comedy Love is in the Air is a remake of an award-winning German format original created by WDR Mediagroup. “it’s a character-driven comedy about men and women in their seventies, attending a speed dating event. Ten legendary Finnish actors have created the backbone of the fiction story, together with director Laura Joutsi, but everything is improvised,“ explains Penttilä-Asikainen. It will be humorous but will also tackle important issues.” In the main roles are Eeva Litmanen, Rea Mauranen, Sinikka Sokka, Leena Uotila, Kirsti Wallavaara and Aake Kalliala. The premiere on YLE is set for June 2017. On the feature film side, 
  • Kaiho is producing the suspense drama East of Sweden directed by Simo Halinen (Open Up to Me) starring Samuli Vauramo, David Nzinga, Laura Birn and Andreas Af Enehielm. Penttilä-Asikainen who has long term relationships with Zentropa, has Madeleine Ekman of Zentropa Sweden International as co-producer. The story of a chance encounter between three people that has life changing consequences, just received support from Nordisk Film & TV Fond. 

Two feature projects will be directed by Marja Pyykkö (Hooked, Black Widows).

  • The comedy Ski Girls about three women in their 40s on a skiing holiday is written by Venla Makelä.
  • Roots is written by Leo Viirret (Priest of Evil) based on a book by Miika Nousiainen. “It’s an international comedy about finding roots, set in Finland, Sweden and Australia,’ says the producer.

Kaiho is also co-production partner on the Dutch/French/German film Daoud’s Winter by writer/director Koutaiba Al-Janabi. The project was among the Cannes Ateliers Cinéfondation projects 2016.