Baltic Event Co-Production Market

Soldier

Country
Finland
Language
Finnish
Genre
drama
Project Status
Pre-production
Synopsis

Tuomas visits his hometown in the North of Finland after five years of absence. His world turns upside-down when he accidentally meets his 5-year-old daughter who was born after he left. Tuomas is touched by love. He wants a fresh start, but he has to confront the life he left behind: a judgemental father and a hurt ex-spouse. Tuomas wants to become a decent man in the eyes of others so he hides his troubling past as a mercenary. Tuomas fights to be accepted by the family he abandoned, even though he has a hard time accepting himself.

More info about the project

"Soldier" was born from a need to examine how value systems travel through generations and how it can affect one's life as an adult. The story focuses on themes of shame, dysfunctional family, co-dependency and masculinity. Based on the research I've studied, mercenaries I've interviewed and my personal experiences, the idea of masculinity seems to be universally linked to a concept of toughness. To suppress emotions is considered as a virtue and strength. Expressing emotions, besides anger, is a sign of weakness. This one-dimensioned narration overshadows essential sides of humanity such as empathy, caring, vulnerability and feeling of belonging. There are no stereotypical good or bad characters in the film - only people who try to do their best with the skill set they have in given circumstances. Through this polyphonic voice, I wish to provide a frame for the audience to reflect their own values and behavioural patterns.

Original title
Soldier
Budget
1400000 €
Financed
19600 €
Looking for
Co-producers, Sales Agent, Distributors, Foreign broadcasters, Public funds (national, regional, international)
Director
Toni Kamula
Screenwriter
Toni Kamula
Producer
Oskari Huttu
Production
Lucy Loves Drama, Mille Bjørke
Contact name
Oskari Huttu
Contact email
oskari@lucyloves.fi
Contact web
www.lucyloves.fi
Screenwriter, Director
Toni Kamula

Toni Kamula is a Finnish director-writer. Born in Kempele, by the Gulf of Bothnia, North of Finland in 1978. As a director his works include short films, audio drama, music videos and workshops. His short films have been selected to several A-Category Film Festivals as an Official Selection around the world. Before his film directing studies, he worked as an actor in theatre (i.e. The Finnish National Theatre, Helsinki City Theatre), TV and films in numerous productions. He is a founding member of KSR Theatre Group. He has had both private and collaborative media/video art exhibitions. Education: 2016 Film Director, Super16 Film School, Denmark 2009 MA in Acting, National Theatre Academy, Finland 2008 BA in Media Art and Science, University of Lapland, Finland

Producer
Oskari Huttu

Oskari Huttu has worked as a producer for over a decade. During 2006-2010 he produced commercials for production house KOMIA Helsinki and 2008 he started his work with features in KOMIA’s sister company Bronson Club. Later on Bronson Club merged with Finland’s leading blockbuster production company Solar Films, and during 2010-2015 Oskari produced five features for Bronson and Solar, including Locarno/Critic’s week winning documentary Reindeerspotting (Bronson Club 2010), domestic cult classic comedy Kulman Pojat / Fanatics (Bronson Club 2012), acclaimed drama Kesäkaverit / Summertime (Solar Films 2014) and domestic super- blockbuster Luokkakokous / Reunion (Solar Films 2015). In the Autumn of 2015, Oskari left Solar Films to build a new company called Lucy Loves Drama.

Production company
Lucy Loves Drama

Lucy Loves Drama is a new production company established in the autumn of 2015 by three experienced producers. Lucy Loves Drama believes in stories worth telling.