Finland - Best International Feature Film
by BrunoRibeiro90 | created - 02 Feb 2019 | updated - 3 months ago | PublicFinnish submissions for the Oscars for Best International Feature Film
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. The Earth Is a Sinful Song (1973)
R | 108 min | Drama
A young woman has an intense affair with a womanizing reindeer herdsman.
Director: Rauni Mollberg | Stars: Maritta Viitamäki, Pauli Jauhojärvi, Aimo Saukko, Milja Hiltunen
Votes: 917
2. Flame Top (1980)
155 min | Biography, Drama
The life of early-20th-century author, journalist, and revolutionary Algot Untola (also known as Maiju Lassila, Irmari Rantamala, and several more pseudonyms), one of the most enigmatic ... See full summary »
Directors: Pirjo Honkasalo, Pekka Lehto | Stars: Asko Sarkola, Rea Mauranen, Kari Franck, Ari Suonsuu
Votes: 132
3. Pedon merkki (1981)
120 min | Drama, War
Follows several Finnish officers and soldiers during World War II, mainly in the Finnish headquarters.
Director: Jaakko Pakkasvirta | Stars: Esko Salminen, Irina Milan, Tom Wentzel, Hannu Lauri
Votes: 207
4. Pessi and Illusia (1984)
77 min | Family, Fantasy
The fairy Illusia and the goblin Pessi meet. Pessi, who has only recently become independent, is a member of the Pessimists' family. They are proud of their practical and sensible attitude ... See full summary »
Director: Heikki Partanen | Stars: Eija Ahvo, Riitta-Anneli Forss, Raimo Grönberg, Minka-Maija Halko
Votes: 101
5. The Unknown Soldier (1985)
197 min | Drama, War
This film is the second silver screen adaption of the Finnish war book by Väinö Linna with the same name as the film. The story is based on Linna's experiences as an infantry man in the ... See full summary »
Director: Rauni Mollberg | Stars: Risto Tuorila, Pirkka-Pekka Petelius, Paavo Liski, Mika Mäkelä
Votes: 3,044
6. The Snow Queen (1986)
Unrated | 90 min | Family, Fantasy
In this adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's longest story, the beautiful Snow Queen has captured two children and now keeps them apart. She has inserted a sliver of her own special ice ... See full summary »
Director: Päivi Hartzell | Stars: Satu Silvo, Outi Vainionkulma, Sebastian Kaatrasalo, Tuula Nyman
Votes: 498
7. The Winter War (1989)
199 min | Drama, History, War
In 1939, two Finnish brothers are conscripted in the army to fight in the war between Finland and the Soviet Union.
Director: Pekka Parikka | Stars: Taneli Mäkelä, Vesa Vierikko, Timo Torikka, Heikki Paavilainen
Votes: 8,732
8. Ripa Hits the Skids (1993)
80 min | Comedy, Drama
A week-long glimpse into the wretched existence of Ripa, a long-haired, hard-drinking lug. He is also a wannabe filmmaker whose last two projects were condemned for their sex and violence. ... See full summary »
Director: Christian Lindblad | Stars: Sam Huber, Mari Vainio, Merja Larivaara, Leena Uotila
Votes: 343
9. The Last Wedding (1995)
90 min | Comedy, Drama
Pekka returns to his native village to attend a wedding. The village has lost its younger generations, and the movie tells the story of the last wedding in the village.
Director: Markku Pölönen | Stars: Martti Suosalo, Henrika Andersson, Matti Varjo, Tanja Kortelainen
Votes: 989
10. Drifting Clouds (1996)
Not Rated | 95 min | Comedy, Drama
The recession hits a couple in Helsinki.
Director: Aki Kaurismäki | Stars: Kati Outinen, Kari Väänänen, Elina Salo, Sakari Kuosmanen
Votes: 9,073
Disqualified
11. The Collector (1997)
98 min | Drama, Thriller
Eevi's life isn't going the way she would want it to, so she runs away, leaving destruction in her wake. No one will ever say no to her again.
Director: Auli Mantila | Stars: Leea Klemola, Elina Hurme, Rea Mauranen, Henriikka Salo
Votes: 493
12. A Summer by the River (1998)
85 min | Comedy, Drama
Topi's mother, who is also Tenho's wife dies and Tenho and Topi have to move out from the town because they don't have enough money to pay their rent. Tenho gets a job as a lumberjack (... See full summary »
Director: Markku Pölönen | Stars: Pertti Koivula, Simo Kontio, Esko Nikkari, Anu Palevaara
Votes: 715
13. Häjyt (1999)
105 min | Action, Crime, Drama
Häjyt tells a story of two friends who have a hard time finding their place in the society. Antti and Jussi are released from jail. While they were doing time for bank robbery, the third ... See full summary »
Director: Aleksi Mäkelä | Stars: Samuli Edelmann, Juha Veijonen, Teemu Lehtilä, Kalevi Haapoja
Votes: 5,286
14. Seitsemän laulua tundralta (2000)
90 min | Drama, History
Seven Songs of the Tundra takes place amidst the infinite white tundra, where a small religious cult sacrifices a reindeer. A ceremonial song accompanies the sacrifice, triggering a ... See full summary »
Directors: Anastasia Lapsui, Markku Lehmuskallio | Stars: Anatoli Hudi, Igor Hudi, Tajuda Hudi, Vitalina Hudi
Votes: 201
15. Joki (2001)
104 min | Drama, Romance
Episodic study of feelings where six stories intertwine over one Saturday in a small town. Two boys save a young woman, Anni, and her baby from suicide by drowning. Esa, a down-on-his-luck ... See full summary »
Director: Jarmo Lampela | Stars: Sanna Hietala, Antti Ikkala, Jyri Ojansivu, Antti Mikkola
Votes: 849
16. The Man Without a Past (2002)
PG-13 | 97 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
M arrives in Helsinki only to be viciously attacked by thugs and pronounced dead by medics. He revives but with no memory of his past or his identity. He rebuilds his life from scratch, but the past inevitably catches up with him.
Director: Aki Kaurismäki | Stars: Markku Peltola, Kati Outinen, Annikki Tähti, Juhani Niemelä
Votes: 26,135 | Gross: $0.92M
Nominated
17. Elina: As If I Wasn't There (2002)
77 min | Drama, Family
Elina is sinking in the quicksand and she is going under and she got the white thing on her hair.
Director: Klaus Härö | Stars: Natalie Minnevik, Bibi Andersson, Marjaana Maijala, Henrik Rafaelsen
Votes: 1,931
18. Producing Adults (2004)
102 min | Comedy, Drama
Longtime couple Venla and Antero come to a serious impasse: After years with Antero, Venla wants to start a family, but her boyfriend, worried that parenthood will stifle his speed-skating ... See full summary »
Director: Aleksi Salmenperä | Stars: Minna Haapkylä, Kari-Pekka Toivonen, Minttu Mustakallio, Tommi Eronen
Votes: 1,321
19. Mother of Mine (2005)
Not Rated | 111 min | Drama, War
During World War II, more than 70,000 Finnish children were evacuated to neutral Sweden to avoid the conflict. From the award-winning Klaus Härö (Elina: As If I Wasn't There (2002)), "... See full summary »
Director: Klaus Härö | Stars: Topi Majaniemi, Marjaana Maijala, Maria Lundqvist, Michael Nyqvist
Votes: 4,609
20. Lights in the Dusk (2006)
Not Rated | 78 min | Crime, Drama
In Helsinki, a lonely night watchman is caught up in a series of misadventures with a femme fatale and a crooked businessman.
Director: Aki Kaurismäki | Stars: Janne Hyytiäinen, Maria Järvenhelmi, Maria Heiskanen, Ilkka Koivula
Votes: 7,882 | Gross: $0.01M
Withdrawn
21. A Man's Job (2007)
104 min | Drama
Unemployed man forgets his dignity to support his family.
Director: Aleksi Salmenperä | Stars: Tommi Korpela, Maria Heiskanen, Jani Volanen, Stan Saanila
Votes: 2,338
22. Tummien perhosten koti (2008)
108 min | Drama
A boy is sent to Saari, an isolated island and home to a home for troubled boys, where he falls in love with the daughter of the school's superintendent.
Director: Dome Karukoski | Stars: Niilo Syväoja, Tommi Korpela, Kristiina Halttu, Kati Outinen
Votes: 2,502
23. Letters to Father Jacob (2009)
74 min | Drama
With few options, newly pardoned convict Leila agrees to work as an assistant to a blind pastor. Father Jacob spends his days answering the letters of the needy, which Leila finds pointless... See full summary »
Director: Klaus Härö | Stars: Kaarina Hazard, Heikki Nousiainen, Jukka Keinonen, Esko Roine
Votes: 2,497
24. Miesten vuoro (2010)
81 min | Documentary
Finnish men in sauna, speaking straight from the heart.
Directors: Joonas Berghäll, Mika Hotakainen | Stars: Timo Aalto, Pekka Ahonen, Aarne Aksila, Mauno Alasuutari
Votes: 2,688
25. Le Havre (2011)
Not Rated | 93 min | Comedy, Drama
When an African boy arrives by cargo ship in the port city of Le Havre, an aging shoe shiner takes pity on the child and welcomes him into his home.
Director: Aki Kaurismäki | Stars: André Wilms, Blondin Miguel, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Kati Outinen
Votes: 23,596 | Gross: $0.61M
26. Purge (2012)
Not Rated | 125 min | Crime, Drama
A tormented young woman is given a hiding place by an elderly lady and soon they are reminded of their mutual horrendous past.
Director: Antti J. Jokinen | Stars: Laura Birn, Liisi Tandefelt, Amanda Pilke, Peter Franzén
Votes: 3,908
27. The Disciple (2013)
93 min | Drama
In 1939 the 13-year-old Carl arrives at the lighthouse Lågskär in the Åland Islands, for a position as lighthouse disciple. He is trained by the demanding lighthouse keeper.
Director: Ulrika Bengts | Stars: Erik Enge, Patrik Kumpulainen, Niklas Groundstroem, Amanda Ooms
Votes: 468
28. Concrete Night (2013)
Unrated | 96 min | Drama
A fourteen-year-old boy in a stifling Helsinki slum takes some unwise life lessons from his soon-to-be-incarcerated older brother.
Director: Pirjo Honkasalo | Stars: Johannes Brotherus, Jari Virman, Anneli Karppinen, Juhan Ulfsak
Votes: 1,265
29. The Fencer (2015)
99 min | Biography, Drama, History
Fleeing from the Russian secret police, a young Estonian fencer is forced to return to his homeland, where he becomes a physical education teacher at a local school. The past however catches up and puts him in front of a difficult choice.
Director: Klaus Härö | Stars: Märt Avandi, Ursula Ratasepp, Hendrik Toompere Jr., Liisa Koppel
Votes: 5,274 | Gross: $0.10M
December Shortlist
30. The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (2016)
Unrated | 92 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
The true story of Olli Mäki, the famous Finnish boxer who had a shot at the 1962 World Featherweight title.
Director: Juho Kuosmanen | Stars: Jarkko Lahti, Oona Airola, Eero Milonoff, Joanna Haartti
Votes: 5,011
31. Tom of Finland (2017)
Not Rated | 117 min | Biography, Drama
Award-winning filmmaker Dome Karukoski brings to screen the life and work of artist Touko Valio Laaksonen (aka Tom of Finland), one of the most influential and celebrated figures of 20th-century gay culture.
Director: Dome Karukoski | Stars: Pekka Strang, Seumas F. Sargent, Chris Myland, Alf Myreen
Votes: 6,417 | Gross: $0.38M
32. Euthanizer (2017)
85 min | Comedy, Drama, Horror
A man who euthanizes animals as a side job runs afoul of a white supremacist.
Director: Teemu Nikki | Stars: Matti Onnismaa, Jari Virman, Hannamaija Nikander, Heikki Nousiainen
Votes: 2,278
33. Stupid Young Heart (2018)
102 min | Drama
A teenage couple deals with an unexpected pregnancy while racial tensions mount in their neighborhood.
Director: Selma Vilhunen | Stars: Jere Ristseppä, Rosa Honkonen, Ville Haapasalo, Abshir Sheik Nur
Votes: 952
34. Tove (2020)
103 min | Biography, Drama
Depiction on the life of Tove Jansson, showing both her personal relationships, and the creation of the popular Moomin books.
Director: Zaida Bergroth | Stars: Alma Pöysti, Krista Kosonen, Shanti Roney, Joanna Haartti
Votes: 3,803
35. Compartment Number 6 (2021)
R | 107 min | Drama, Romance
As a train weaves its way up to the arctic circle, two strangers share a journey that will change their perspective on life.
Director: Juho Kuosmanen | Stars: Seidi Haarla, Yura Borisov, Dinara Drukarova, Yuliya Aug
Votes: 15,478
Shortlist
36. Girl Picture (2022)
Unrated | 100 min | Drama, Romance
Three young women try to defy the persistent winter darkness in Finland. In the process, they move between dreams, reality, friendship and relationships, and try to make sense of the whole mess.
Director: Alli Haapasalo | Stars: Aamu Milonoff, Eleonoora Kauhanen, Linnea Leino, Sonya Lindfors
Votes: 2,665
37. Fallen Leaves (2023)
Unrated | 81 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
In modern-day Helsinki, two lonely souls in search of love meet by chance in a karaoke bar. However, their path to happiness is beset by obstacles - from lost phone numbers to mistaken addresses, alcoholism, and a charming stray dog.
Director: Aki Kaurismäki | Stars: Alma Pöysti, Jussi Vatanen, Janne Hyytiäinen, Nuppu Koivu
Votes: 23,163
Shortlist
Tell Your Friends