Summer of the Moth
A magical moth and an old, grumpy gardener journey through time to his last childhood summer.
A cynical old gardener, Beanpole, discovers a magical time-travelling moth in his garden. The creature offers him a journey into the future, but the trip goes horribly wrong. They discover there is nothing waiting for them at the end of summer, just a dark emptiness– the end of time itself. The pair try to escape, but lose their way and get stuck in the past, in the old gardener's childhood. As they journey through the old man's memories, his bitter outlook on life is challenged by the boundless optimism of the newly hatched moth. Slowly, they begin to rediscover things the gardener thought he had left behind in childhood... like imagination, trust, and a stubborn faith in a better future.
Director's note
It feels, at times, that growing up is not just about gaining experience, but also about losing something: the optimistic curiosity and openness that children seem to have by default. But at the same time, I firmly believe these qualities are never truly gone. As time goes by, the world might push us to grow a hard outer shell, but the most human, vulnerable parts within us remain the same as when we were little boys and girls.
Summer of the Moth is a story about learning to stay open in a world where everything changes, and where loss is inevitable. I am interested in exploring questions of mortality, not through the lens of melancholy and grief, but by celebrating life and its little joys.
My goal is to tell a story that can be experienced by audiences of all ages. Its story meets children and adults in different places, but leads them toward the same feeling. Because questions of time, loss, and what it means not to give in to life's difficulties are not reserved for adulthood; they are something we encounter, in different ways, throughout our entire lives.
As a filmmaker, I see Summer the Moth as an intriguing journey into a new kind of visual storytelling. We don't confine ourselves strictly to either live-action or animated filmmaking. Instead, we freely combine both techniques to create a visually unique fantasy world. This hybrid approach is technically demanding, but I see that challenge as an exciting opportunity.
Biography
Veera Lamminpää is a screenwriter-director working in both live-action and animated films. Lamminpää's graduation film from Aalto University's ELO Film School, the stop-motion musical Fish River Anthology (Mereneläviä, 2024), has screened internationally at more than 80 festivals, earning several jury and audience prizes. The film also won the Finnish National Film Award Jussi for Best Short Film in 2025. She is currently in production with two new projects: the live-action microseries GRIND for Yle, and the short film Odd Birds, which combines live action and stop motion.
Producer's note
Veera Lamminpää's internationally acclaimed Fish River Anthology is a unique short film, where I was struck by the clever combination of style, humour and a message that can be nicely scratched out from beneath the surface. Her feature debut project Summer of the Moth has the same tonality as her previous short, and what makes me even more enthusiastic and delighted is the fact that we lack extraordinary projects for the whole family. This is clearly one.
In our conversations we have ventured both deeper into the project's content and towards concreteness in how to make it happen. The initial intuition has been correct: our collaboration is fruitful, and combining our varied experiences will take the project forward.
A great recognition was to be selected for the CEE Animation Workshop in 2026. The feedback and advice we have received there have been encouraging. We have been able to talk about the film from all angles: the script, the technique of combining live action and stop motion animation, financing and also marketing.
The reception from international partners and professionals has been overwhelmingly inspiring. The story of the film has been met with great enthusiasm. We feel the world is with us on this journey.
I started my career in the audiovisual sector in the mid-1990s as a buyer of children's and youth programmes. I have systematically spoken out in favour of family films and during my tenure at Nordisk Film & TV Fond I financed more than ten feature-length Nordic animated films.
For me, Summer of the Moth is a unique and profound story. It has layers and humour that help me to understand and accept difficult things. For me, this film is a gift that comes from a strong artistic ambition, a work that I am proud to support and help make possible.
Biography
Petri Kemppinen activated his company Good Hand Production in 2024. Before that he worked at Aurora Studios (2020-2023), and as CEO of Nordisk Film & TV Fond (2013-2019); there providing financing for more than 150 Nordic films and TV Series. He has worked previously at the Finnish Film Foundation and YLE. He holds an MA in communication and has a background as a journalist. Aside from producing, he works as an expert for the EAVE training program and is a member of the European Film Academy.
Profile
The company was founded by Petri Kemppinen, an industry professional with over 30 years of experience in financing, production and training. Its feature Bloodsuckers premieres in 2027. Currently in development are the features Summer of the Moth, Wolf's Bride, Overtime and the TV drama series Villa Hilda.