14/06/2010

In its latest round of production support, the Finnish Film Foundation (FFF) has awarded a total of €800,000 to four new feature films, including two minority co-productions with Germany and Ireland.

German film Summer Window is written and directed by Hendrik Handloegten (Paul is Dead) and produced by Maria Köpf of Germany’s Zentropa International. Co-produced by Edith Film (Zentropa’s Finnish arm), it tells the story of a woman who wakes up to find that she has been thrown back into her past, and stars Nina Hoss and Fritzi Haberlandt. Shooting begins in July. The €3m film was awarded €80,000 from the FFF.

Irish film Parked, the feature narrative debut of documentary filmmaker Darragh Byrne, is the story of two men living in their cars who try to help each other get back on track. The cast includes Colm Meaney (The Damned United [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), Colin Morgan (Merlin) and Milka Ahlroth (Twisted Roots [+see also:
trailer
film profile]). Ripple World Pictures is producing, with Finland’s Helsinki Filmi (the companies previously collaborated on the upcoming Finnish film Lapland Odyssey by Dome Karukoski). The film received €100,000 from the FFF and is scheduled to be delivered July 2010.

Jenkivartija, the new project by Zaida Bergroth (Last Cowboy Standing [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), centres on 38-year-old actress Leila (Elina Knihtilä), who goes to her family summer house with her husband and two sons after the unlucky premiere of her film. Their peaceful holiday is disrupted by the arrival of Leila’s friend, the charismatic writer Aimo. The Oy Buffo production was awarded €280,000. Shooting will start in July and Walt Disney Studios will release it domestically in March 2011.

The Storage, directed by Taru Mäkelä for Kinosto Oy, received €350,000 towards its €748,000 budget. The working-class screwball comedy is based on a novel by Arto Salminen and stars Peter Franzén and Minttu Mustakallio. Shooting will start in September.