Sandrew Metronome Distribution Finland Ltd (SMDF) was the leading distributor in Finland last year, with 28,01 % market share thanks to its Warner Bros titles and a handful of local films such as Lapland Odyssey (335,000 admissions) and Princess (280,000 admissions). "Sandrew Metronome has been a strong distributor of both Finnish and international titles. The purchase of Sandrew Metronome makes Future Film even more influential, especially within the domestic distribution market," said Päiväläinen, Future Film's Head of Theatrical Distribution.
Among the company's upcoming domestic releases are Le Havre (September 9), The Magic Crystal (October 14) and Rat King, all supported by Nordisk Film & TV Fond.
As part of its strategic decision to withdraw from film distribution, Schibsted has been gradually divesting or shutting down its Nordic film operations, while keeping its DVD activities. Sweden closed down totally last March and Denmark will follow by the end of the year. The Norwegian operation was sold to Oslo Kino, the country's largest cinema chain, which now runs the theatrical division under the name Norsk Filmdistribusjon.