"Dome is a great director with a strong vision," said Selin. Karukoski previously collaborated with the Finnish film mogul on the Nordic Council Film Prize nominated drama The House of Dark Butterflies. His latest film Lapland Odyssey was a record-breaking film in Finland (over 384,401 admissions) and sold to several territories worldwide.
Contacted by nordiskfilmogtvfond.com, Karukoski described Mannerheim as ‘his biggest challenge ever'. "Mannerheim was such a rich character in many ways. He was a war hero and one of the reasons why Finland is still independent. At the same time he was such a controversial character. He's both loved and hated among the Finnish people. For some, he's the "savior of our country" when for others he's the "white butcher". His life has material for a great film," stressed the director.
"At the moment I'm concentrating on re-writing the script. I can't do another director's vision. I have to do the film as I want to do it. I see that the normal problem with biopics is that they are too forced to tell the history and the events around the main character. That's why they very often fail to be close to the character and become bad films. I want to get under Mannerheim's skin."
"The film will be very character-driven. Mannerheim's tragedy and success was the same thing: his ambition to do something great in his life. He sacrificed everything for this goal. I think this is a trait the people of our modern society can relate to. We often strive for our careers and thus sacrifice our relationships. I think at the same time, I can learn a great deal about myself via his story."
Principal photography will start 12 weeks after the final bulk of €4 million towards the €14 million film, will be made available by the Russian International Foundation for Innovation and Investment fund, chaired by former president Michael Gorbachev. Mikko Nousiainen is still set to play the lead role of Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim.
Meanwhile, Solar Film's other major project Purge, adapted from Sofi Oksanen's best-selling novel is only a week away from filming. The drama directed by Antti Jokinen is co-produced by Estonia's Taska Film, with development support, from Nordisk Film & TV Fond. Nordisk Film has distribution rights for Scandinavia.
Solar Films is also enjoying the excellent theatrical performance of Garter Snake, third installment of the Vares crime series that went straight to number one at the Finnish top ten in its opening weekend. The three first films of the six part series have brought in a total of 302,000 admissions so far, or 44% of all tickets sold to Finnish films in 2011.
SYNOPSIS: Truth about Men is an affectionate portrait of a generation of men shrinking from big commitments, yet asking the big questions about life and love.
Mads moves into a house with his lovely girlfriend Marie, when a sudden pang of doubt strikes him. Is this the meaning of life? Has he lived out all his dreams? He drops everything, moves away from his girlfriend and throws himself into a desperate quest to live out his greatest dreams; a quest to find the meaning of life and the one and only.
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Production Company - Zentropa
International Sales - Trust Nordisk
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SYNOPSIS: After an unlucky and scandalous premiere the actress Leila escapes to the family summerhouse by the lake. The peaceful holiday with her two sons Ilmari and Unto is disrupted when Leila invites some friends over for a rowdy weekend. After the party, Leila asks the charismatic and unpredictable writer Aimo to stay for a few days. But her 19 year-old son Ilmari who has a very close relationship with his mother, at times acting as her personal bodyguard, is hostile to Aimo.
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Production Company - Bufo Oy
International Sales - Bufo Oy
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SYNOPSIS: Undercurrent tells the story of a young woman who is hired as crew member on a fishing vessel, where a tight knit group of men is already in place. Slowly it is revealed that her job was only vacant due to a tragic incident, and her being on board is not going down well with the crew. With conflict happening within the group, as well as with nature, the crew has to stick together and face their destiny in a sea voyage that takes an unexpected turn.
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Production Company - Zik Zak Filmworks
International Sales - Zik Zak Filmworks
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SYNOPSIS: Anders (34) will soon complete his drug rehabilitation in the countryside. As part of the program, he is allowed to go into the city for a job interview. But he takes advantage of the leave and stays on in the city, drifting around, meeting people he hasn't seen in a while. Anders is smart, handsome and from a good family, but deeply haunted by all the opportunities he has wasted, all the people he has let down. He is still relatively young, but feels his life in many ways is already over. For the remainder of the day and long into the night, the ghosts of past mistakes will wrestle with the chance of love, the possibility of a new life and the hope to see some future by morning.
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Film website
Production Company - Motlys
International Sales - The Match Factory
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SYNOPSIS: One morning just before Christmas, Leena (34) receives a phone call from a hospital in her childhood town where she grew up. She learns that her mother is dying. This news takes the young woman on a journey to face her mother for the first time in her adult life. Leena has fought hard to let go of her grief over her lost and dark childhood. She is now forced to deal with her past to be able to move on.
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Film website
Production Company - Hepp Film
International Sales - Trust Nordisk
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