The Woman Who Roared
Leena, 65, discovers Helsinki Zoo is a hub for international spies – her late husband among them.
Leena, 65, lost her husband Antti in a mysterious ice-fishing accident. Several months after the funeral, Leena still talks to Antti's urn at home. Nudged by a friend, Leena decides to get a job at her and Antti's favourite place in Helsinki: the zoo. Once Leena starts her new job, she soon finds out that Antti wasn't going to the zoo just for the animals – he was actually a secret agent working for the Finnish government. The zoo was his workplace, where he would meet different international contacts at assorted animal enclosures. These contacts are now on edge because Antti had details of a secret nuclear deal. Everyone assumes that Antti had passed this information to Leena.
Screenwriters' note
Spy stories are nothing new. And while there has always been variety within the spy thriller genre, it has been a long time since there was a spy story told from a quirky and delightful angle. Rather than a spy story meant to instil fear or dread, this is a spy story meant to bring a smile to the audience. Our world is in need of more warmth and joy, and even a geopolitical spy thriller can do that amid zany spies and charming zoo animals. Also, there is a hopeful and positive message that it is never too late. In many ways, Leena's journey is about finding herself. As it is still uncommon in the modern TV world for a female protagonist to be older than 35, we would like to emphasise that life's adventures, their flow and epiphanies are not limited by age and that opportunities for wonder are always around the corner.
Director's note
In this story of spies running through a zoo involving tigers, nuclear missiles, Dostoevsky-quoting maniacs and a woman navigating grief, I was drawn to a very human question: What is our place in the world when life has changed, and can we still make a difference?
Our protagonist is a woman who has been widowed, and through her journey we explore what it means to feel relevant, to find purpose again, and to realise that there is still so much life – and possibility – ahead of you.
I’ve always been drawn to the meeting point between comedy and more serious, sometimes painful subjects. Life can be absurd and heartbreaking at the same time.
Biography
Pamela Tola is an regarded as one of Finland’s leading filmmakers. After establishing a successful acting career in some of Finland’s most popular films, Tola transitioned behind the camera, bringing a distinctive blend of emotional authenticity, sharp humor, and human insight to her directing.
Her films explore themes of family, identity, relationships, and personal transformation, often centering on complex female protagonists and intergenerational dynamics. With directing credits including The Worst Idea Ever (Järjettömän paska idea) and hugely popular Ladies of Steel (Teräsleidit) that spawned also a sequel, Tola has been able to combine both critical recognition and strong audience engagement.
Biography
With a BA in Dramaturgy from VGIK, MA in Culture and Arts Screenwriting from the University of Tampere and Grand Diplôme from Le Cordon Bleu Paris, Anastasia is involved in the development of several TV series, short and feature films with companies across Europe. She is an alumnus of the Eureka programme of the Series Mania Institute, Torino SeriesLab, Words Across Europe and Seriesmakers of Series Mania Forum. Anastasia has two young daughters, a dog and a cat.
Biography
With a BS in Film from Liberty University and an MFA in Writing from the Savannah College of Art and Design, Kristofer is involved in the development of various TV series in Finland and Spain. Before moving to Finland in early 2025, Seppälä was involved in the indie theater scene in Atlanta, Georgia and wrote and directed various original comedic plays voted as audience favorites. When Kristofer isn’t writing, he loves to travel and gain inspiration.
Producer's note
The Woman Who Roared is a bold, heartfelt, and original spy series about Leena, a 65-year-old widow whose late-life reinvention draws her into a world of secrets, danger, and unlikely animal companions. Created by Kristofer Seppälä and Anastasia Pashkevich, the series blends espionage, comedy, and emotional depth into a story that is Finnish yet designed for international audiences. The writers’ unique cross-cultural perspectives bring authenticity to a series that feels universally relatable. At a time when audiences are looking for stories that entertain and inspire, The Woman Who Roared offers a fresh take on the spy genre – thrilling, funny, and full of heart. We are developing the project with international co-production in mind, ideally partnering with producers from France, Eastern Europe, and the Nordic countries to reflect both the content and market potential of the series.
Biography
Mete Sasioglu is a producer and founder of the production company Sons of Lumière, based in Helsinki, Finland. His recent productions are Earth Song, a feature film by director-writer Erol Mintaş that premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2026, and the Sámi filmmaker Marja Helander’s short film In My Hand (2025), which won the Tromsø Palm for Best Short Film at the Tromsø International Film Festival, as well as nine other awards worldwide. Mete is also production lectured at Academy of Moving People and Images. He has worked as a producer at the Refugee Film Festival for three years, during which time the festival received the City of Helsinki's Cultural Achievement of the Year award. In 2025, Sasioglu co-founded the Karhupuisto Film Festival, which won the Matti Pellonpää Film Culture Award and an honorable mention for City of Helsinki's Cultural Act Award. He is a member of the Documentary Guild of Finland, Filmiaura and the Finnish Television Academy.
Profile
Sons of Lumière is a Helsinki-based production company with a special emphasis on underrepresented perspectives. Its most recent film, Earth Song, directed by Erol Mintaş, premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and will be theatrically released in Finland and Sweden in December 2026.