Finland Showbiz Latest News and Updates

Marta Balaga Finland’s industry is ready to appeal to the government as the future of a film and TV production incentive is under threat, with a 25% cash rebate levied on spend on foreign and Finnish shoots in the country conspicuously absent from a provisional budget for 2024, announced Monday. “People have been hopeful, so they didn’t want to believe in what the government has been saying. For the whole autumn, we kept hearing they will cut the incentives altogether and that our budget at the Foundation will be cut by a few per cent.

Christopher Vourlias Beta Film has released a moving trailer for the Ukrainian war drama “In Her Car,” a gripping series about the ongoing crisis told through the eyes of those who are living it, the company announced ahead of Mipcom. “In Her Car” (10 x 30’) is produced by Starlight Media and Gaumont in co-production with France Télévisions, ZDF (Germany) and Swiss public broadcaster SRF. The show was also boarded in its early stages by Nordic public broadcasters SVT (Sweden), DR (Denmark), YLE (Finland), NRK TV (Norway) and RÚV (Iceland).

Marta Balaga Finnish series creators are ready to laugh – also at themselves. “While cultures vary, a fish-out-of-water experience is universal,” says writer Beata Harju, behind “Lay Low and Don’t Be Fabulous” about a woman who just can’t let go of her ex.

Sharareh Drury Miami Dade College’s Miami Film Festival GEMS has announced the full lineup for its 2023 festival, which will run from Nov. 2-5. The 10th edition of the fest will feature 26 films from 14 countries, all taking place at MDC’s Koubek Center and Silverspot Cinema.

Mobile phones will be banned in classrooms under new government rules, the Education Secretary will announce today (Monday October 2).

The San Sebastian Film Festival awarded O Corno (The Rye Horn) with the Golden Shell for Best Film. San Sebastián native Jaione Camborda took the top prize of the night for the feature she directed.

Omar Apollo is on the cover of King King Magazine‘s latest issue and he got very intimate for the photo shoot.

Alissa Simon Film Critic Sometimes films highlight little-known events in their country of origin that wind up catalyzing a re-evaluation of their nation’s history. Finnish director Klaus Härö’s “Never Alone” is shaping up to be that sort of film. It follows the deportation from Finland of eight Austrian-Jewish refugees by the Gestapo during World War II and the work of Abraham Stiller, a pillar of the Helsinki Jewish community, who tried to stop it from happening.

Anna Marie de la Fuente In the lead up to its January theatrical release in Scandinavia and in Italy next Spring, Finnish adventure comedy “Snot & Splash: The Mystery of Disappearing Holes” (“Räkä ja Roiskis”) is sharing its trailer exclusively in Variety. FilmSharks CEO Guido Rud, who picked up world sales rights to the children’s film at the Locarno Film Festival in August, said: “Finnish cinema is known for having a high level of creativity, but a fantasy/adventure film like this one with a super refreshing plot is bound to be well received in cinemas, platforms and festivals, some of which have already booked the film from summer to the fall.” The family film from director Teemu Nikki is produced by It’s Alive Films, founded by Nikki and Jani Pösö, and displays the dark, witty humor of his previous films, including “The Player,” “The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic,” “Nimby,” sci-fi comedy “LoveMilla” and “Euthanizer,” Finland’s Oscar submission in 2019. Poland’s Orka and Post Control Helsinki are co-producers.

The 2024 Göteborg Film Festival will show an AI-altered version of Ingmar Bergman’s Persona with a new actor edited in. Another Persona will co-star 42-year-old Finnish actress Alma Pöysti as Elisabet Vogler, a role played in the 1966 arthouse classic by Liv Ullmann (now 84), as Deadline reports.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer Sanna Marin is going from the House of Parliament to the Soho House, as the former Prime Minister of Finland has signed with talent management firm Range Media Partners. Marin sparked global media interest in 2019 when her election to Finland’s highest office made her the youngest prime minister in history at age 34. Range will help the politician explore opportunities in media and entertainment including TV, film, audio and brand partnerships.

Range Media Partners on Wednesday announced its signing of Sanna Marin, the world’s youngest female head of state, best known for serving as Finland’s Prime Minister from 2019-2023. The management company will work with her to unearth new opportunities in the media and entertainment landscape across TV, film, audio, brand partnerships, and more.

Naman Ramachandran Billie Piper, “The Great British Bake Off” and “Derry Girl” have landed nominations at the 2023 International Emmy Awards. The nominations, which were unveiled on Tuesday by the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, are across 14 categories and span 20 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Qatar, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the U.K.

Netherlands photographer and director Anton Corbijn has been named as president of the main feature film jury for the upcoming Zurich Film Festival.

Marta Balaga Timothy Spall is ready to bring “Joy to the World.” “It’s a Christmas story, but an unusual Christmas story,” he tells Variety about his upcoming film, directed by Edward Hall. Calico Pictures and Studio Hamburg are on board, while James Nesbitt co-stars. “It’s about a troubled 12-year-old kid who is pretty obnoxious, really.

Marta Balaga Sweden’s Isabella Eklöf has followed up her acclaimed debut “Holiday” with the Greenland-set “Kalak,” this time around opting for a male protagonist. “He’s a guy, but the story is exactly the same,” she says. “It’s still about sexual assault and ‘restaging’ your trauma, or looking for family and connection, but I have never explored that perspective before.

Christopher Vourlias Norway’s Lilja Ingolfsdottir won the top prize this week at the Finnish Film Affair for her feature directorial debut “Lovable,” a relationship drama about a woman forced to find herself as her marriage falls apart. Pic is produced by “The Worst Person in the World’s” Thomas Robsahm and Nordisk Film Production, with Scandinavian powerhouse TrustNordisk repping world sales. Written by Ingolfsdottir and headlined by Scandinavian stars Helga Guren (“22.

Marta Balaga “Death Is a Problem for the Living,” now also in Italy. The Finnish black comedy, directed by Teemu Nikki of “Euthanizer” fame, will premiere at the Rome Film Festival in October. “I am so proud of everything we have made together, especially ‘Euthanizer’ and [Venice Horizons Extra winner] ‘The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic,’ but this one is certainly the most consistent.

Christopher Vourlias Miia Tervo’s “The Missile,” an absurdist dramatic comedy based on the real-life story of a Soviet missile landing in Finnish Lapland in 1984, took home the top prize Thursday at the Finnish Film Affair, an annual industry event running parallel to the Helsinki International Film Festival — Love & Anarchy. “The Missile” was one of five fiction feature works in progress that were pitched to an audience of industry guests in Helsinki on Sept.

Christopher Vourlias LevelK has boarded the dark comedic drama “The Kidnapping of a President” by Finnish director Samuli Valkama (“No Thank You”), the company announced this week in Helsinki. The film, which is produced by John Lundsten (“Renki”) and Melli Maikkula (“KilJuset”) for Tack Film, is based on the incredible, pulled-from-the-headlines story of the abduction of the first president of Finland.

Seeing the Northern Lights is something on the top of most people’s bucket lists and Iceland is one of the best places to spot them during the winter months. For a limited time Icelandair is offering a holiday package deal with flights, accommodation and tours all included for less than £500 per person.

As Race Across The World returns to our screens this week, fans of the BBC show will no doubt be impressed to hear that the upcoming series has received a very special Celebrity revamp. Every one of this year’s competitors will be a household name from across music, drama and sport, with a number of famous faces including McFly’s Harry Judd, All Saint’s singer Melanie Platt and even Good Morning Britain’s weatherman Alex Beresford taking on the gruelling challenge from Wednesday, 20 September.

Marta Balaga Be scared, be very scared: Skoop Media has dropped the trailer for new series “Raspberry Hill.” “It challenges children in a way that’s refreshing,” says Skoop Media’s head of acquisitions and marketing Fulko Kuindersma. “Nowadays, kids are more resilient than we give them credit for. ‘Raspberry Hill’ [‘Hallonbacken’] embraces this by delving into suspenseful themes, which also makes it appealing to parents.

Marta Balaga International Sámi Film Institute’s managing director Anne-Lajla Utsi will now add “trailblazer” to her résumé as the recipient of the first-ever Women in Film and Television International Peace Prize. The award ceremony will take place on Sept. 23 during the WIFTI Helsinki Summit.

Christopher Vourlias Finnish director Marika Harjusaari makes her feature debut with the female-centered, 19th-century-set horror “The Mire,” which follows a woman who must use her mysterious powers to save a Finnish village from a malevolent spirit. The film will be presented this week as part of a showcase of upcoming Finnish titles at the Finnish Film Affair.

Jehnny Beth has released a new ‘Live’ EP that features two new unreleased songs titled ‘More Adrenaline’ and ‘Amazing Life’.The two tracks feature Beth’s signature beats with ‘More Adrenaline’ being eclectic and eccentric. Lyrics such as “I’m in my bed/I had an orgasm and I lost my cigarette in my sheets” are followed by the anthemic chorus “More adrenaline / more adrenaline” ready to make any dance floor come to life.‘Amazing Life’ is a slower-paced tune that still has a heavy beat.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender.

Amy Nicholson “The Royal Hotel,” the setting of Kitty Green’s ulcer-inducing thriller, is a sun-baked bar in a rural Australian mining town surrounded by terrain so monotone that Canadian backpackers Hanna (Julia Garner) and Liv (Jessica Henwick) can’t keep their eyes open on the way in. The two young women arrive at their barmaid jobs with a sense palpable disorientation. They’ve quite literally woken up in Oz, and they don’t know the people, the customs, the nicknames for the local ales, or the way out.

Eurovision 2023 star Käärijä has teamed up with Tommy Cash for a new song and video – watch ‘It’s Crazy, It’s Party’ below.The singer became known for his huge Eurovision entry ‘Cha Cha Cha’, and has now returned with an even more intense second effort.“A big dream came true as I got to make a song with Tommy Cash,” he said in a statement about the new song.“I was on vacation after the Eurovision, sitting in a beach chair when I received a DM from Tommy. The song came together very quickly, and ‘It’s crazy, It’s party’ reflects both of our vibes.“Tommy is a top-notch artist, and I’ve learned a lot from him along the way.

Marta Balaga Finland is ready to compete with the famed Bergman Estate on Fårö, as a new residence program for Nordic filmmakers takes shape. Set in Söderlångvik, patron of the arts Amos Anderson’s former summer residence on Kimito Island in southwest Finland, it will target mainly actors and directors. The initiative, a result of a collaboration between Föreningen Konstsamfundet association – founded by Anderson in 1940 – and Helsinki Int.