08/09/2011

While Finland’s most popular private investigator, Jussi Valtteri Vares, is looking into The Garter Snake, directed by Lauri Törhönen – the third thriller in the franchise has taken 75,971 domestic admissions since the August 5 launch – Finnish producer Markus Selin’s Solar Films is celebrating its best season ever.

Solar and subsidiary Bronson Club have so far accounted for 78% of all ticket sales for local films in Finland – 579,000 out of 741,000. Including Vares-The Kiss of Evil and Vares-The Girls of April, the series from Finnish author Reijo Mäki’s novels of the hard-boiled PI in his 40s controls 45.6%.

Starring Antti Reini, the current Vares lensed back-to-back last year on a 120-day schedule that still has three premieres in store: Anders Engström’s Vares-The Path of the Righteous Man, which is scheduled for January 6, 2012, to be followed by Törhönen’s Vares-Gambling Chip and Vares-Tango of Darkness, all through Nordisk Film Production AB.

The companies’ autumn line-up also includes Ella & Alex – A Surprise Birthday Party, Juuso Syrjä’s feature debut after 350 commercials and music videos - a fully animated, musical family adventure produced by Jesse Fryckman for Bronson Club, which Nordisk will launch domestically on September 16.

Part-owned by the Danish major, Finland’s leading production house is currently shooting Finnish directors Antti Jokinen’s Purge, from Sofi Oksanen’s award-winning novel, and Stobe Harju’s first feature, Imaginarium, a musical fantasy starring Finnish metal band Nightwish.

Bronson Club has two Finnish romantic comedies rolling, including Samuli Valkama’s Love and Other Troubles, starring Australian actress Emilie de Ravin, and Teppo Airaksinen’s Fanatics, about a love affair between a fanatic soccer fan and a girl who supports the wrong team.