Audiovisual Producers Finland (APFI) has unveiled its Mipcom slate.
The “diverse” lineup “highlights the extraordinary stories coming out of Finland,” executive director Laura Kuulasmaa teased.
The second season of the documentary series ‘Untold Arctic Wars’ will focus on Cold War espionage and military conflicts in the region.
Following the great success of the first season, which saw placements in almost every major territory in the Americas, Europe, MENA and Asia, TVF will once again partner with NTRNZ to bring this final season to buyers around the world, said Sam Joyce, TVF’s senior acquisitions manager.
“Actual buyers are hungry for new angles on contemporary history and this series provides that in spades. Featuring brand new testimonies and newly unearthed archives, 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 focused series that broadcasters are clamoring for, which is why it has created a frenzy among buyers even before its launch.”
Based on a true story, Just Republic’s “The Truth Seeker” introduces “the woman all dictators fear”: forensic dentist Helena Ranta, who took on some of the world’s most notorious dictators, from Saddam Hussein to Slobodan Milošević.
“Ranta identified war victims during the violent collapse of Yugoslavia and served as a witness against Milošević. She slept with 80 men in a tent outside Saddam Hussein’s palace in Iraq when the country came under heavy bombing. Her entire career has been about collecting evidence,” explains the show’s creator and writer, Jemina Jokisalo.
“I have never come across a true story as powerful as hers. She is somewhat known in Finland, but I really think the whole world should know about the life and work of this incredible woman.
The company will also bring a lighter touch with “Cupid,” an animated series for young people about a hopeless romantic who creates an AI love guru to help him and his friends find love. But his advice leads to setbacks and chaos. Jokisalo called ‘Cupid’ a ‘very current and fun look at modern love’.
It was created by Samuel Kirkhope and Fanni Mikkonen and will be written with the help of young, emerging writers to capture the right tone, Jokisalo said. The themes are universal and as animation we think this series has a lot of travel potential.”
In “Queen of Fucking Everything,” currently in post-production, a high society real estate agent falls to rock bottom. But instead of giving up, she wants to get back to the top – even if that means joining the criminal elite. Tiina Lymi, behind the local hit ‘Stormskerry Maja’, directs.
Production company Fire Monkey brings the psychological thriller ‘Healer’ – in which a disgraced surgeon becomes entangled in a welfare scheme – and the disaster drama ‘Seconds 2’.
“In ‘Healer,’ which deals with the world of alternative treatments, two female protagonists begin a steamy relationship that takes them deeper into the mix of experimental therapy, paranoia and psychedelics. It takes place on an old fortress island off the coast of Helsinki. “We shot the entire series there on location and it looks very unique and beautiful,” noted producer Roope Lehtinen, who also opened up about the second season of “Seconds.”
“With the first season we managed to really captivate the audience. In Finland, more than 85% of viewers who started watching it ended up watching the entire season. Now we have a new accident involving the collapse of a high-rise building. This time, our investigation team faces a new challenge as the disaster continues and lives can still be saved.”
Paul Simma (Safi) will focus on ‘The Reindeer Queen’, a thriller series in development about an undercover agent forced to return to her hometown in Lapland, while ‘True North’ sees an Egyptian refugee hired by two Finnish sisters who a catering company in southern Spain.
‘Nurses Re-make Hub’ follows the professional and personal lives of the trauma unit staff, and Whichgroup introduces the romantic comedy ‘Back to Surriento’ – conceived as a series and feature film – and ‘Transporter’, a thriller about a transplant coordinator who has children. hours needed to perform a heart transplant on a patient. In ‘Crème de la crème’, produced by Mutant Koala Pictures, a small-town boy gambles on an underground sperm bank.
Finally, the animated sitcom “Belzebubs” will say hello to a “typical demon-summoning family next door,” as the main character wants it all: a loving husband, a responsible father and the frontman of his “axe-wielding goat.” -sacrificial, satan-coming” black metal band.
Although stories about female protagonists are still relevant, Kuulasmaa summarized, there are more projects based on true events. “Surprisingly few are based on existing IPs, which means Finnish producers and commissioners are going out in search of original ideas.”
They also venture outside Finland.
“The first season of ‘Untold Arctic Wars’ was a hit for YLE and internationally, selling to more than 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 over the past few years has shown that there is a strong demand for engaging Finnish content and we are confident that this year’s projects will continue that trajectory,” she said, but APFI will hold the usual showcase this year skip.
“We notice that Mipcom is a place where people mainly come for meetings. We hope to draw attention to 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: Anythinggroup, co-produced by Viola Film
World sales: Bravado Media
“Belzebubs”
YLE
(13×22′)
In production
Writers: Jussi-Pekka Ahonen, Lassi Vierikko, Leo Viirret, Jenny Dahlstrom, Peter Mohan
Production company: Pajama Films, co-produced by Movimenti Production, Mago Production
International broadcasters: RAI, TV3, PRIMA, RUV
“Cream 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 Whichgroup
“Cupid”
YLE
(8×15′)
In development
Writers: Samuel Kirkhope, Fanni Mikkonen
Production company: Just Republic
“Fleck”
Animation function
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: excellent entertainment
“healer”
Elisa Viihde / Ruutu
(6×45′)
In post-production
Writer: Laura Suonen
Production company: Fire Monkey
“Niko – Beyond the Northern Lights”
Animation function
MTV
Completed
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 recreate hub”
Nelonen
(20x22min / 10x45min)
Production company: Yellow Film & TV
World sales: Eccho rights / Yellow film and TV
“Queen of fucking everything”
YLE
(6×50′)
In post-production
Writer and director: Tiina Lymi
Production company, international distribution and worldwide 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 broadcasters: 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 Couldn’t 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
“Carrier”
(6×45′)
In development
Writers: Aleksi Puranen, Matti Laine, Antii Kairakari
Production company: Anygroup
“The 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