This newsletter shares the good news of the Finnish films and TV series once a month. The content is intended to be an interesting news roundup both for separate newsletter subscribers and for media representatives interested in films and TV series.
In May, the Finnish film and TV industry gained exceptionally strong international visibility. Finnish talent was involved in projects and contexts connected to A24, HBO, Cannes, Annecy and international genre films. Horror, thrillers, animation and major co-productions stood out across the news. Cannes was an especially strong platform for Finland as Fjord won the festival’s top prize, productions financed by IPR.VC received awards, and Fireframe unveiled its ambitious slate of seven films. At the same time, Finnish Film Affair’s new call for projects shows that internationally oriented Finnish film and TV development remains active in upcoming projects as well.
1. Short news about Finnish films and TV series in May 2026
Finnish-backed IPR.VC is financing a vampire thriller starring Wagner Moura and Kristen Stewart. Flesh of the Gods will be directed by Panos Cosmatos, known for a movie Mandy.
Internationally recognized actress Krista Kosonen is acting in A24’s horror film Backrooms. The film is based on the internet phenomenon in which the main character falls out of reality. American creator Kane Parsons, known for the phenomenon, is also directing the film.
The acclaimed series The White Lotus will continue its fourth season with Finnish talent, as Pekka Strang joins the cast. He will be in high-profile company, with the new season also featuring actors such as Vincent Cassel, Steve Coogan and Laura Dern.
Writer-director Ilja Rautsi’s next feature is Red Snow, a film about a vampire Santa Claus. It is produced by Misha Jaari and Mark Lwoff of a production company Bufo. Spain’s Selecta Vision has acquired the rights to the horror comedy and will serve as the film’s distributor.
Ville Jankeri will direct Arrogance (Röyhkeys), a film developed at the prestigious Torino Script Lab. It is based on Ossi Nyman’s 2017 novel of the same name. The lead roles are played by Jussi Vatanen and Seidi Haarla. The film is produced by Sons of Lumière, with Nordic distribution handled by Nordisk Film.
The John Rambo film directed by Jalmari Helander, known for the Sisu films, will serve as a prequel to the franchise that began in the 1980s. Noah Centineo will play the lead role. The film’s release date has been confirmed as June 4, 2027.
The Finnish-German project Deeper is one of three winners of the Nordic NEST funding round at the Cannes Film Festival. Directed by Eva-Maria Koskinen, the police thriller combines love, family relationships and a sabotage investigation.
Fjord (Vuono), directed by Cristian Mungiu and supported by the Finnish Film Foundation, won the top prize in the main competition at Cannes. The six-country co-production had production company Aamu as its Finnish producer. Its sound and costume design also came from Finland. The film had already been sold to more than 50 countries before filming began.
Finnish animation will have a strong presence at the upcoming Annecy Animation Festival. The program includes three Finnish short animations and one feature-length animated film. The selected titles are Dollhouse Elephant by Jenny Jokela, Fleak by Anima Vitae, the Irish-Finnish coproduction Stories from the Backwoods and Firewalk by Pink Twins.
Making Movies will be producing a movie Sands of Sarasvati (Sarasvatin hiekkaa). It is an international eco-thriller based on the acclaimed novel by Risto Isomäki. The film will be directed by AJ Annila and it follows a team of scientists investigating ancient underwater ruins and a growing environmental catastrophe linked to climate change.
2. Film company Fireframe unveiled its extensive production slate at the Cannes Film Festival
Fireframe, the company founded by Supercell co-founder Mikko Kodisoja, unveiled its production slate at the Cannes Film Festival. The slate includes Puzzle Box, a horror film written and directed by Kodisoja; Dragonlord, directed by David Sandberg of Kung Fury fame; and an upcoming project from the Norwegian Higton brothers. They are best known for the horror sensation Dead of Night. Fireframe fully self-finances its productions. The company aims to release a total of seven films by the end of 2028.
3. Finnish Film Affair is calling for submissions from new film projects
Finnish Film Affair (FFA) has opened its call for new project submissions for internationally promising films and documentaries. The categories include films in development and production, Nordic productions, documentaries and television series. Selected projects will be presented at the Showcase Day event on September 24. The submissions will be reviewed by an international jury, which will provide constructive feedback. Around 35 projects will be selected across the different categories.
4. IPR.VC productions found success at the Cannes Film Festival
Paweł Pawlikowski won the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival for Fatherland, a film financed by the Finnish-backed IPR.VC. Co-produced with MUBI, the film quickly gained both popularity and critical acclaim. Its 94% Rotten Tomatoes score reflects a strong critical consensus. This year’s Cannes was especially successful for IPR.VC productions, as Marie Kreutzer’s Gentle Monster also competed in the festival’s main competition and has already received recognition from critics.