"This is absolutely a knock out," said Berghäll, to nordiskfilmogtvfond.com. "I don't know yet what to think but I'm just incredibly happy. I'm so proud to have been chosen to represent Finland at the Oscars nomination, but being selected with Mika for the Nordic Council Film Prize is even more special as it is the most prestigious award in the Nordic region that was won last year by the amazing Lars von Trier."
Steam of Life is a subtle and emotional portrayal of naked Finnish men who cleanse themselves both mentally and physically in the intimacy of saunas. The film has won numerous awards - including the top award at Israel's DocAviv and the Prize of the Interreligious Jury at Nyon's Visions du Réel - and has been invited to 19 international festivals since last April. The next stop will be Nordisk Panorama in Bergen where it will compete for Best Nordic Documentary. In Finland, Steam of Life was also a hit on screens and is so far the sixth most popular Finnish film of the year. Currently playing on Swedish screens, the film will open in Norway and Poland in January. Film Transit International handles world sales.
After a film all about men, Berghäll said he is currently writing the script for a documentary film ‘all about women'!
Last year's Finnish candidate in the Oscars race was Klaus Härö's Letters to Father Jacob. The Oscars nominations will be announced on January 25 in Los Angeles and the final Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood will take place on February 27.