For the long-standing Finnish production powerhouse MRP Matila Röhr Productions, setting up Reelmedia, dedicated to high-end TV drama for the international market, was a natural step, as explained by producer and filmmaker Marko Röhr, founder of MRP Matila Röhr Productions and CEO at Reelmedia.

“We have produced 54 films since 1990 and most of them are co-productions. Over the last two years, our TV drama slate has been spiralling,” he said, referring to the hit Finnish series All the Sins, Peacemaker and The Paradise.

“It was natural to set up a separate entity fully focused on international TV dramas, to be produced in collaboration with European partners,” said Röhr. “We have projects in development with international themes, and talents from the UK, Poland, Spain attached, on top of Scandinavia. Europe is our territory and we will be working even more effectively across Europe in the near future,” he stated.

Running Reelmedia’s content strategy is Head of Content Johanna Enäsuo, 15% shareholder in the company, alongside Marko Röhr (45% shareholder), MRP Matila Röhr Productions (20%), and Lasse Laaksonen (20%), Head of Legal Affairs.

Explaining her drama vision to nordicfilmandtvnews.com, Enäsuo who was creator and producer of Yle’s political drama Peacemaker, said high quality and universal topics that matter are her focal points, whatever the format. “We will produce original content, not seen before, told through different tones, including comedy. But the stories have to be meaningful for us, and they will naturally travel to the wider international audience,” she claimed.

Citing the streamers revolution that has transformed the market, enabling content creators to think globally from the start, without losing the local edge, the Head of Content said Reelmedia will foster diversity from an early stage, working as much as possible with experienced international writers/creators in the writers’ room to lift storytelling.

Reelmedia’s current series in production were both conceived and co-produced with well-established European partners.

The crime show The Paradise season 2 (8x50’) focusing on the vibrant Finnish community living in Fuengirola, has just wrapped shooting this week.

Riita Havukainen reprises her role as seasoned Finnish police officer Hilkka Mäntymäki who must return to the Costa del Sol to solve a new murder case, with the help of local detective Andrés Villanueva, played by Fran Perea. The two must face the merciless business of international criminal organisation, while dealing with their personal fears and feelings.

Director Marja Pyykkö and head-writer Matti Laine are reunited, working with a new writers’ room consisting of Simo Halinen, Vilja Keskimäki and Jenny Dahlström.

The 80/20 co-production between Reelmedia and Spain’s Mediapro, is due to premiere on Yle later this year. Co-financiers include Nordic pubcasters DR, SVT, NRK and RÚV, part of the N12 alliance. Season one was nominated for the Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize 2020.

Meanwhile the 6x45’ dark comedy The Man Who Died will be completed late April. Originally developed by Finland’s Luminoir for Elisa Viihde, the show is now a Reelmedia production, with Markku Flink still attached as producer. UK writer Brendan Foley has written the script, based on Antti Tuomainen’s best-selling novel. Jussi Vatanen (Man in Room 301) stars as a mushroom entrepreneur, slowly dying from a mysterious poisoning, who sets on a mission to solve his own murder. Samuli Valkama is directing.

“It’s fun and edgy, totally in the Coen brothers’ vein, but set in small-town Finland,” said Röhr. The co-production with Germany’s ndF will premiere exclusively on Elisa Viihde Viaplay in a few months. A second season is being developed and world sales are in discussion according to Röhr.

Reelmedia’s TV slate in development includes half a dozen shows, to be created with European and global partners, including a second season of Peacemaker.``

“Considering today’s conflict in Ukraine, this series is more topical than ever. The brand will continue and have even more weight in the future,” asserts Röhr.

As for MRP Matila Röhr Productions, the company co-owned by Röhr and Ilkka Matila, is locking season 3 of Elisa Viihde’s crime show All the Sins (produced by Matila), and fully refocusing on feature film. “We have signed a slate deal with Nordisk Film to deliver five major features by the end of 2025, on top of my nature documentaries so our plate is full!” said Röhr.