Finnish genre filmmaker Teemu Nikki directed, wrote, edited and co-produced his third feature film, Euthanizer [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Teemu Nikki
fiche film], which premiered last year at the 42^nd Toronto International Film Festival and is now confirmed as Finland’s submission for the Best Foreign-language Film Academy Award, the ceremony for which will be held on 24 February 2019. The film previously won two Finnish Jussi Awards (see the news), for Best Original Script and Best Musical Score, the Best Script Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival and, more recently, the FIPRESCI Award at Haugesund (see the news).

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Euthanizer follows Veijo (Matti Onnismaa), a true animal lover who lives in a poor, suburban region of Finland and is a black-market pet euthaniser. He’s also an animal whisperer and prefers to personally deliver justice to careless owners who neglect their pets. His unconventional but meticulously organised life is disrupted when he comes across Petri (Jari Virman), a garage mechanic and member of a Neo-Nazi gang, and Lotta (Hannamaija Nikander), a young nurse who understands his psychoses. Veijo will start to change before seeking revenge.

The Finnish Oscar jury – comprising director Hanna Kristiina Bergholm, head of the International Department at the Finnish Film Foundation Jaana Puskala, actor Lauri Tanskanen, set designer Marjaana Rantama, producer Riina Hyytiä, screenwriter Tarja Kylmä and producer Teea Hyytiä – was impressed by the film’s strong voice, as the story is original and the movie makes minute observations that are open to various different interpretations.

Euthanizer is a Finnish production by Jani Pösö and Teemu Nikki (It’s Alive Films), and French sales agent Wide Management is handling the title internationally.