The Unknown Soldier – Nordic Film Festival
19:30
Unknown Soldier /Tuntematon Sotilas
(FI – 2017)
Director: Aku Louhimies
3h – Drama/War – age 13+
Unknown Soldier tells a story of an infantry unit’s tour of duty that lasts for more than three years during the Finnish Continuation War. The film is based on the classic novel by Väinö Linna, and shows how friendship, humour, and the will to live to unite men on their way to the front and back. The war changes the lives of each of the soldiers as well as the lives of those on the home front, and also leaves its mark on the entire nation.
Unknown Soldier has been the biggest Finnish production so far. The movie drew 170,213 viewers to the preview screenings and the premiere weekend, which made it the biggest domestic opening weekend of all time for a Finnish film.1 During its third week in the theatres, the film crossed the magical half a million viewers mark.
“We had a boot camp for the actors, some had military experience, others not. /…/ We decided early on that during the 81-day shooting period, the cast would not be driven to the locations in comfortable cars. They would live in the locations, like a real platoon, whatever the weather conditions. I want people to feel and understand how it is and feels to be at war.” Director Aku Louhimies interviewed by Nordisk Film & TV Fond
English subtitles and free entrance
