Finnish Producers Reveal Mipcom Slate, Including Shows About a Forensic Odontologist Taking On Dictators and ‘Demon-Summoning Family Next Door’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Audiovisual Producers Finland (APFI) has unveiled its Mipcom slate.
The “diverse” lineup “highlights the extraordinary storytelling coming out of Finland,” teased executive director Laura Kuulasmaa.
More from Variety
The second season of the documentary series “Untold Arctic Wars” will focus on Cold War espionage and military conflicts in the region.
After the blockbuster success of the first season, which found placements in almost every major territory across the Americas, Europe, MENA and Asia, TVF will be partnering again with NTRNZ to bring this latest season to buyers around the world, said Sam Joyce, TVF’s senior acquisitions manager.
“Factual buyers are hungry for fresh angles on contemporary history and this series offers that in spades. With brand new testimony and newly unearthed archive, it promises to challenge our understanding of the global distribution of power during the Cold War years. This is exactly the kind of high-end, globally-minded series that broadcasters are clamoring for, which is why it has been igniting a frenzy amongst buyers even before launch.”
Based on a true story, “The Truth Seeker” by Just Republic introduces “the woman all dictators fear”: forensic odontologist Helena Ranta, who took on some of the world’s most notorious dictators, from Saddam Hussein to Slobodan Milo?evi?.
“Ranta identified war victims during the violent breakdown of Yugoslavia and served as a witness against Milo?evi?. She slept in a tent with 80 men outside Saddam Hussein’s palace in Iraq, when the country faced heavy bombings. Her whole career was about gathering evidence,” explained the show’s creator and writer, Jemina Jokisalo.
“I’ve never come across a true story as powerful as hers. She’s somewhat known in Finland, but I truly feel the whole world should know this incredible woman’s life and work.”
The company will also provide a lighter touch with “Cupid,” a youth animated series about a hopeless romantic who creates an AI love guru to help him and his friends find love. But its advice leads to misadventures and chaos. Jokisalo called “Cupid” a “very current and fun take on modern love.”
Created by Samuel Kirkhope and Fanni Mikkonen, it will be written with the help of young, upcoming writers to catch the right tone, Jokisalo said. The themes are universal and, as animation, we think this series has a lot of potential to travel.”
In “Queen of Fucking Everything,” currently in post-production, a real estate agent falls from high society to rock bottom. But instead of giving up, she wants to get back on top – even if it means joining the criminal elite. Tiina Lymi, behind local hit “Stormskerry Maja,” directs.
Production company Fire Monkey will bring psychological thriller “Healer” – in which a disgraced surgeon becomes entangled with a wellness – and disaster drama “Seconds 2.”
“In ‘Healer,’ which deals with the world of alternative treatments, two female main characters start a steamy relationship that leads them deeper into the mix of experimental therapy, paranoia and psychedelics. It takes place on an old fortress island next to the Helsinki coast. “We shot the whole series there on location and it has a very unique and beautiful look,” noted producer Roope Lehtinen, also opening up about the second season of “Seconds.”
“With the first season, we managed to really grip the audience. In Finland, more than 85% of the viewers who started to watch it, eventually watched the full season. Now, we have a new accident when a high-rise building collapses. This time, our investigation team faces a new challenge as the disaster is still ongoing and there are still lives that can be saved.”
Paul Simma (Safi) will focus on “The Reindeer Queen,” thriller series in development about an undercover cop forced to return to her native hometown in Lapland, while in “True North,” an Egyptian refugee is hired by two Finnish sisters running a catering company in southern Spain.
“Nurses Re-make Hub” follows trauma ward staff’s professional and personal lives, and Whatevergroup will introduce romantic comedy “Back to Surriento” – devised as a series and a feature – and “Transporter,” a thriller about a transplant coordinator who has four hours to deliver a heart transplant to a patient. In “Crème de la crème,” produced by Mutant Koala Pictures, a small-town guy bets on an underground sperm bank.
Finally, animated sitcom “Belzebubs” will say hello to a “typical demon-summoning family next door,” as its protagonist wants it all – to be a loving husband, a responsible father, and the frontman of his “ax-wielding, goat-sacrificing, Satan-hailing” black metal band.
While stories about female protagonists are still going strong, Kuulasmaa summed up, there are more projects based on true events. “Surprisingly few are based on existing IPs, which means that Finnish producers and commissioners are venturing out, looking for original ideas.”
They are also venturing outside of Finland.
“The first season of ‘Untold Arctic Wars’ was a hit for YLE and internationally, being sold to over 100 countries,” she said, also mentioning “interesting YLE-RAI co-production” “Back to Surriento” and Jamedia’s “True North,” co-produced with Spain.
“The response to our showcases in recent years has demonstrated a strong demand for compelling Finnish content and we are confident this year’s projects will continue that trajectory,” she said, but APFI will skip its usual showcase this year.
“We’ve noticed that Mipcom is a place where people come mainly for the meetings. We hope to highlight projects in other ways, and by bringing people together we hope to create new contacts for future projects.”
“Back to Surriento”
YLE and RAI
(4 x 25’ and 100’)
In pre-production
Writers: Dario Curator, Gugliemo Finazzer, Aleksi Puranen, Jens Martin Mienna
Production Company: Whatevergroup, co-produced by Viola Film
World Sales: Bravado Media
“Belzebubs”
YLE
(13 x 22’)
In Production
Writers: Jussi-Pekka Ahonen, Lassi Vierikko, Leo Viirret, Jenny Dahlstrom, Peter Mohan
Production Company: Pyjama Films, co-produced by Movimenti Production, Mago Production
International Broadcasters: RAI, TV3, PRIMA, RUV
“Crème de la crème”
YLE
(8×30’)
In Development
Writers: Jukka Vidgren, Henna Rinnekangas, Topi Koljonen, Juuso Laatio, Anna Heinamaa
Production company: Mutant Koala Pictures, co-produced by Whatevergroup
“Cupid”
YLE
(8×15’)
In Development
Writers: Samuel Kirkhope, Fanni Mikkonen
Production Company: Just Republic
“Fleak”
Animated Feature
YLE
In Post-Production
Writers: Antti Haikala, Melli Maikkula, Ilja Rautsi, Teemu Auersalo
Production Company: Anima Vitae, co-produced by Animoon, Godo Films
World Sales: All Right Entertainment
“Healer”
Elisa Viihde / Ruutu
(6 x 45’)
In Post-Production
Writer: Laura Suonen
Production Company: Fire Monkey
“Niko – Beyond the Northern Lights”
Animated Feature
MTV
Finished
Writer: Kari Juusonen, Hannu Tuomainen, Marteinn Thorissen
Production Company: Anima Vitae, Cinemaker, co-produced by Ulysses Films, Moetion Films, A. Film Production
World Sales: Global Screen
“Nurses Re-make Hub”
Nelonen
(20 x 22min / 10 x 45min)
Production Company: Yellow Film & TV
World Sales: Eccho Rights/ Yellow Film & TV
“Queen of Fucking Everything”
YLE
(6 x 50’)
In Post-Production
Writer and director: Tiina Lymi
Production Company, International Distribution and World Sales: Rabbit Films
“Seconds 2”
YLE
(6×50’)
Writers: Laura Suhonen, Solina Riekkola, Helena Sorva
Production Company: Fire Monkey, co-produced by NDR Germany
World Sales: REinvent Studios
International Broadcatsers: NDR, SVT, NRK, DR
“Song of My Life”
Music Entertainment Show
YLE
In Production
(12×75’)
Writers: Frans Akerberg, Petja Peltomaa
Production Company: Yellow Film & TV
World Sales: ITV Formats
“The Boy Who Could Not Walk”
Svenska YLE
Feature Film In Development
Writers: Anna Blom, Annina Enckell
Production Company: Jamedia Production
“The Reindeer Queen”
YLE
(8×50)
In Development
Writer: Paul Simma
Production Company: Safi
“The Truth Seeker”
(6×50’)
In Development
Writer: Jemina Jokisalo
Production Company: Just Republic
“Transporter”
(6×45’)
In development
Writers: Aleksi Puranen, Matti Laine, Antii Kairakari
Production company: Whatevergroup
“True North”
(6×45’)
In Development
Writers: Anna Blom, Kajsa Tornroth, Kaisa El Ramly, Antonio Moreno
Production Company: Jamedia Production, co-produced by The Aurora Project
“Untold Arctic Wars,” Season 2
YLE
(6×52’)
Writers: Anna-Reeta Eksyma, Teemu Hostikka, who also directs
Production Company: NTRNZ Media Ltd
World Sales: TVF International
International Broadcasters: SVT, DR, NRK, RUV
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
