Nokia mobile saga starts filming for Rabbit Films-C More/MTV3

Once Finland’s crown jewel and a brand as famous worldwide as the Moomins or Marimekko, Nokia and the rise and fall of its mobile phones, is the subject of a three-season TV series, produced by Helsinki-based Rabbit Films for Finland’s commercial TV station MTV3 and Nordic streamer C More.

Based on true events and set notably in the Finnish city of Salo - Nokia’s former headquarters, the first season Mobile 1.0 (original title Made in Finland), to be shot in Finnish and English languages, has started filming last week. It stages the pioneering years of Nokia mobile’s uncertain first steps into the global arena in the 1980s-90s, as dedicated engineers, lawyers and employees fight for the destiny of their company.

In the title roles as two young lawyers sent to fight for Nokia’s future against Motorola in the US are rising talents Satu Tuuli Karhu (Bad Apples, Happier Times, Grump) and Emi Kijlström. Sampo Sarkola (Peacemaker, Bordertown) plays Jorma Ollila, known as the man who brought Nokia out of the turmoil and raised it to success. Aku Sipola (Secret Lives, Forest Giant) embodies the young and talented engineer Risto Salminen, cornerstone in the development of the Nokia 101 mobile and Oona Airola (The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki, Bordertown) plays his wife Vuokko.

Top crew members include Oscar-nominated set and production designer Heather Loeffler (American Hustler, Carol) and cinematographer Rauno Ronkainen, triple Jussi award-winner for The Eternal Road, Purge and Tears of April.

Creator /director Maarit Lalli who has thoroughly researched the history of Nokia for the series, says about Mobile 1.0: "Behind Nokia's well-known narrative, there are the untold stories of the people whose passion for their work made immense success possible. But there were also personal losses and moments of despair. Now, 30 years on from the first GSM call [made by former Finnish Prime Minister Harri Holkeri], and based on first-hand accounts from those most intimately involved in Nokia’s story, we can tell the full, dramatic story of the extraordinary events behind its remarkable rise and fall."

“Nokia is a national treasure but a huge global brand,” stated Rabbit Films’ Head of Scripted, producer and seasoned actress Minna Haapkylä. “The series unfolds as an epic story of how a small Finnish town and a small Finnish company grew to become the home of the biggest mobile phone supplier in the world, and one that changed literally all our lives.”

Mobile 1.0 is produced by Rabbit Films’ Haapkylä and Tiina Pesonen for C More and MTV3. Ari Tolppanen, co-founder of fast-expanding integrated audiovisual production and distribution group Aurora Studios is co-producing, together with the Finnish group’s creative advisor and former Nordisk Film & TV Fond CEO Petri Kemppinen.

The series is the second Rabbit Films production to receive funding from Aurora Studios’ recently established Finnish Impact Film Fund set up to facilitate investments in quality films and TV dramas. The first title to receive support was the feature film Bubble directed by Aleksi Salmenperä.

Other financial partners of Mobile 1.0 include Business Finland and the West Finland Film Commission among others.

“We will be shooting around 60 days, from now until mid-summer, then again in October until the end of November,” said Haapkylä, who hopes that the pandemic will continue to improve, to allow the team to shoot outside of Finland, notably in Washington. C More will launch it early 2022 on its platform and the linear premiere will follow on MTV3. C More also holds Nordic and Baltic first-window VOD rights.

After Mobile 1.0, a second season about the rise and prosperous years of Nokia will be followed by a third and final season about the fall of the Finnish mobile empire.

According to Haapkylä, world distribution will be handled in house at Rabbit Films by Jonathan Tuovinen, Head of International. “We have a large experience in selling non-scripted content. As the show is fully-financed in Finland, we want to keep all rights and flag the show directly to world buyers. With the Nokia brand and strong creative team, we are confident that it will attract strong interest worldwide,” told Haapkylä to nordicfilmandtvnews.com.

Rabbit Films’ other high-end series, the mystery thriller Summer of Sorrow created by Rabbit Films’ Creative Director Jani Volanen for Elisa Viihde, is represented by Keshet International.