20/03/2012 - Backed by crowd funding and investment, Finnish director Timo Vuorensola’s Iron Sky to receive crowd distribution through UK’s Stealth Media Group

”Working with the audience really pays off,” said Finnish director Timo Vuorensola. ”The crowd helped us to fund, develop and produce the film – now it’s time to get butts on seats in the theatres.”

Vuorensola’s dark sci-fi comedy, Iron Sky [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tero Kaukomaa
interview: Timo Vuorensola
interview: Timo Vuorensola
film profile], which was launched as a Panorama Special during the recent Berlin International Film Festival (news), is about to conquer the international screens, having sold more than 70 countries through UK’s Stealth Media Group.

Recently presented at the South by SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, the €7.5 million Blind Spot Pictures production will be released in Finland on April 4 by Buena Vista International Finland, followed by another nine European territories, including the UK on April 20 (Revolver Entertainment).

The Christopher Kirby, Julia Dietze, Götz Otto, Peta Sergeant, Udo Kier and Stephanie Paul-starrer has also been acquired for theatrical distribution in the US-Canada (Entertainment One), Australia (Hoyts), and China (E-Star, which has submitted it to the censors).

Most of Europe has been finalised – France (Synergy Cinema), Germany-Austria-Switzerland (Polyband), Benelux (Splendid Film Gmbh) – but also Japan (Presidio), Hong Kong (Vii Pillars Entertainment), India (Movies Now), and Middle East-Northern Africa (Falcon Media).

During six years of production, Finnish producer Tero Kaukomaa turned to crowd financing and investment when he was short on budget. Besides German and Australian co-producers, 200 private investors have participated, ten of them with a producer’s credit.

Supporters have backed the film with a total of €1 million, also through the purchase of merchandising; they have come up with ideas for the project Wreckamovie, and co-operated in online publicity. When the trailer was released on YouTube, it took a record seven million views.