Business as Usual

A darkly comic rise-and-fall story of Artur, a poor kid from Annelinn who becomes the favourite banker of Russian oligarchs - until lavish orgies, plastic bags stuffed with cash, and corruption bring him down in the world's biggest money-laundering scandal.

In 1990s Estonia, Artur, a restless kid from a Soviet-style housing block, dreams of escaping poverty. Guided by his idol Oliver, a charismatic banker, he is swept into the wild new world of finance where lavish orgies, cash-stuffed bags, and bear hunts with dignitaries become routine. But behind all the glamour, Artur is laundering billions for Russian oligarchs. As the stakes rise, relationships fracture and bodies surface, Artur must decide whether to protect himself or blow the whistle on the very system that built him.
"Business as Usual" is a darkly comic six-part thriller, inspired by the Danske Bank scandal – a world where capitalism has no rules and money covers all sins.

Director's note

"Business as Usual" is not a story about banking, but a universal tale of greed, the temptation of getting rich quickly, and the dangers that follow. At its heart is Artur, a boy from a poor background whose hunger for wealth carries him into the flow of billions, where the line between right and wrong does not blur – it becomes a calculation. The more money he makes, the more it consumes him, until he finds himself estranged from everyone close to him. What he truly longs for cannot be bought - yet he cannot stop buying.
This is a story of East meeting West, of past colliding with future, of a raw transitional society crashing headlong into Western affluence, where screaming poverty exists alongside obscene wealth. And at the centre stands one ordinary Estonian boy who, like so many, only wants to be happy.
There are few stories that place Estonia at the centre of a scheme with such global reach. But in the context of today - especially Russia's war in Ukraine – it becomes even more relevant. With ruthless honesty, it reveals why the West struggles to cut ties with Russia: trillions in dirty money circulate through Western banks each year, and removing it could bankrupt the entire system. And so, wars are tolerated and corruption is ignored, as long as the exchange rates stay stable and business as usual can continue.

Producer's note

"Business as Usual" is a six-part financial thriller inspired by the infamous Danske Bank scandal, in which 200€ billion of suspicious transactions were funnelled through Estonia. The concept originates from screenwriter and playwright Mehis Pihla, whose stage version of "Business as Usual" ("Rahamaa") was a national success. Reviewers emphasised how "the banking characters are brought uncomfortably close to the viewer, leaving one unsure whether they would have made different decisions in the same situation."

The series will be directed by Ove Musting ("Traitor" 2019 - 2024,&"Kalev" 2022) and Hendrik Toompere jr., who also staged the original play. Our aim is to combine sharp, character-driven storytelling with the precision of a premium European thriller, spiced with absurdity to spark reflection on how global capital moves, who profits, and what gets lost along the way.
This is a story about complicity and conscience, about systemic failure and personal reckoning. Above all, it is about identity, told with humour, tension, and moral weight. We believe "Business as Usual" can stand proudly among the new wave of bold European series. With the right partners, we are ready to bring it to international screens.

Subjects:

belonging, suicide, mental health, abuse, school bullying, youth, first love, coming of age