Helsinki 1939

An international team of war correspondents fights to report the truth. The Finnish propaganda unit feeds them lies - to defeat an overwhelming enemy.

"Helsinki 1939" is the true story of war correspondents who lived in the sumptuous Hotel Kämp as Soviet planes bombarded the city. Despite the constant threat, they pursued life and sought the truth at any cost. Meanwhile, the Finnish Propaganda Unit tried to control the truth by any means necessary. The nation’s best storytellers and spies operated at Hotel Kämp. In a cat-and-mouse game, they hid the truth about Finnish casualties, created legends, framed false war pictures, and even staged war fronts for the correspondents to visit.

For 105 days, Hotel Kämp stood as the city burned around it. Truth was sought, bent, and sometimes saved.

Director's note

This is about the lies we have to tell in order to survive. To ourselves, to others, to the world.

This is about asking if the end justifies the means. In a war, perhaps it does, but what about in fiction? Can we tell lies about true history and real people to make a more entertaining concept? We have, we can, and we will – but we have to be careful. Propaganda is a dangerous tool, even in the right hands, as we can no longer tell what is true.

"Helsinki 1939" aims to keep the audience guessing what is true and what is fiction – and, in the end, underline that it does not matter. The truth will come out.

"Helsinki 1939" is an entertaining, character-driven true story based on lies: colourful, emotional, brave, dark and light. We bring the 1930s to life from a point of view you have not seen – and it is the most amazing story, as it is all true.

Almost.

Producer's note

When we first heard about the information war during the Winter War, we were immediately excited about the idea. The topic of war propaganda quickly emerged at the centre, which felt timely due to the war in Ukraine. The international and well-known group of war correspondents residing in the Kämp Hotel amid the war was both a fascinating and cinematic setting. A hastily assembled propaganda unit and a fake front in Helsinki, designed under the leadership of Mika Waltari, brought almost absurd elements to the real events.

When we began broader background research on the topic in the autumn of 2023, diving into literature and archives, the incredible twists of the true story and its characters began to unfold in their full scope, and we realised we were onto something unique. This was a story that had to be told. The project development began with funding from IPR.vc.

Since it was clear that this was an ambitious and international project, the choice of writer-director was obvious. When AJ Annila saw our preliminary plans and our background research in early 2024, he insisted on being part of the project. We started development immediately, and AJ has been writing the treatments and creating the bible for the series. We pitched the project to Elisa Viihde, and they loved it. We are now developing the series together with Elisa Viihde, and they have just commissioned the pilot script and updated treatments. The target would be to finalise the pilot script by the end of the year and start negotiating with possible co-producers/financiers at Berlinale 2025.

"Helsinki 1939" is an incredible true story about a propaganda group led by writer Mika Waltari, who tried to control the truth during the Winter War, which foreign war correspondents staying at Hotel Kämp feverishly pursued. The hotel was a unique microcosm from which the fate of one nation was shaped. The series is an entertaining and colourful character-driven drama full of suspense, love, espionage – credible lies and unbelievable truths.

"Helsinki 1939" aims to keep the audience guessing what is true and what is fiction. Propaganda is a dangerous tool, even in the right hands, as we can no longer tell what is true or false.

Subjects:
based on a true story, individual vs society, history, satire, politics