Lapland Odyssey (2010) Napapiirin sankarit (original title)

Director:

Dome Karukoski

Writer:

Pekko Pesonen (written by)

Release Date:

15 October 2010 (Finland)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

A comedy about Janne, a man from Lapland in Northern Finland, a man who has made a career out of living on welfare...

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Night | Lapland | Mother Son Relationship | Adulthood

Awards:

7 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Pamela Tola	...	Inari Juntura
Jussi Vatanen	...	Janne
Jasper Pääkkönen	...	Kapu
Timo Lavikainen	...	Tapio Räihänen
Konsta Mäkelä	...	Hatunen
Sinikka Mokkila	...	Jannen äiti
Erkki Hetta	...	Jannen isä
Asko Sahlman	...	Martti Juntura
Kari Ketonen	...	Pikku-Mikko
Miia Nuutila	...	Marjukka
Rinna Paatso	...	Marjukan kaveri
Moa Gammel	...	Anna
Anna-Leena Härkönen	...	Reseptionisti
Camilla Jacobsen	...	Seireeni 1
Jane Timglas	...	Seireeni 2
Melissa Heininen	...	Kapua iskevä tyttö
Ulla Tapaninen	...	Räihäsen äiti
Markku Köngäs	...	Poliisi 1
Teuvo Alakunnas	...	Poliisi 2
Janne Reinikainen	...	Kittilän runkkari 1
Kari Hietalahti	...	Kittilän runkkari 2
Tommi Liski	...	Kittilän runkkari 3
Andrei Tsumak	...	Sergei
Ruslan Susi	...	Pjotr
Elvira Tensina	...	Vera
Julia Lyubchenko	...	Jelena
Kari Koivukangas	...	Taksikuski Rovaniemellä
Minttu Leppänen	...	Oksentava tyttö
Pekka Hietaniemi	...	Ilmari Tuomi
Esa Harju	...	Toivo
Sakke Lipponen	...	Jaakko Kivi
Mikko Kunnari	...	Naiseton hippi
Keijo Haapalainen	...	Kalle Laamanen
Riitta Nilimaa	...	Nuuskakairan-baarin myyjätär
Jannika Öberg	...	Karaoke-emäntä
Kari Känsäkoski	...	Taksikuski Ylläksellä 1
Jarkko Ylläsjärvi	...	Taksikuski Ylläksellä 1
Maria Lahtinen	...	Huoltoaseman myyjätär
Matti Törhönen	...	Radion uutistenlukija (voice)
Jussi Eskola	...	Hiihtoselostaja (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Joonas Makkonen	...	Mies baarissa (uncredited)
Tuomas Massa	...	Mies baarissa (uncredited)
Juho Nilivaara	...	Mies baarissa (uncredited)

Directed by
Dome Karukoski

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Pekko Pesonen		written by

Produced by
Aleksi Bardy	....	producer
Jonas Elmqvist	....	co-producer
Tomas Eskilsson	....	co-producer
Olli Haikka	....	executive producer
Jacqueline Kerrin	....	co-producer
Heidi Laitinen	....	line producer
Martin Persson	....	co-producer
Helena Sandermark	....	co-producer
Annika Sucksdorff	....	associate producer
Dominic Wright	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Lance Hogan

Cinematography by
Pini Hellstedt

Film Editing by
Harri Ylönen

Casting by
Tutsa Paananen		(as Tutsa Virtanen)
Pia Pesonen

Art Direction by
Pirjo Rossi

Costume Design by
Anna Vilppunen

Makeup Department
Kata Launonen	....	makeup artist
Taina Mansner	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Tomi Nieminen	....	post-production producer
Gary Shortall	....	post-production supervisor: Ireland
Christian Sundkvist	....	production manager: Sweden
Gareth Young	....	post-production supervisor: Ireland

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Antti Lahtinen	....	assistant director
Kaisa Roover	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Mikael Back	....	carpenter: Sweden
Rickard Grönvall	....	painter: Sweden
Teppo Hulkkonen	....	storyboard artist
Martin Liljegren	....	painter: Sweden
Eero Piitulainen	....	assistant art director
Kaisa Saarela	....	set dresser
Riina Sipiläinen	....	property master
Frank Zandhoff	....	construction coordinator: Sweden

Sound Department
Pekka Aikio	....	assistant sound
Linda Brännström	....	sound editor: Sweden
Matti Carlson	....	sound effects editor: Sweden
Michelle Cunniffe	....	sound re-recording mixer: Ireland
Caoimhe Doyle	....	foley artist: Ireland
Aza Hand	....	foley editor
Christian Holm	....	sound designer
Tuomas Klaavo	....	sound recordist
Robert Leib	....	sound assistant: Sweden
Michelle McCormack	....	dialogue editor
Eoghan McDonnell	....	foley artist
Jean McGrath	....	foley recordist: Ireland
Henrik Norberg	....	sound assistant: Sweden
Jussi Rantala	....	assistant sound
James Shannon	....	dolby sound consultant
Niklas Skarp	....	sound designer
Niklas Skarp	....	sound editor: Sweden

Special Effects by
Jakke Huovinen	....	snow effects technician
Konsta Mannerheimo	....	snow effects coordinator
Raine Toikkanen	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Håkan Blomdahl	....	visual effects: FILMGATE
Mark Cumberton	....	visual effects coordinator: Ireland
Declan Dowling	....	digital effects: Ireland
Jacqueline Galvin	....	visual effects: Ireland
Tommi Gröhn	....	film recording
Ian Hamilton	....	digital effects: Ireland
Andreas Hylander	....	visual effects
Elin Kothe	....	visual effects (as Elin Lindahl)
Malin Leuchovius	....	visual effects coordinator (as Malin Persson)
Scott McDonnell	....	visual effects supervisor: Ireland
Niall Mooney	....	visual effects supervisor: Ireland
Jacob Otterström	....	visual effects supervisor
Noelle Quinn	....	visual effects project manager: Ireland
Peter Rees Dale	....	visual effects artist
Daniel Reidler	....	visual effects supervisor: Sweden
Sean Wheelan	....	visual effects producer: Sweden

Stunts
Jouni Kivimäki	....	stunts
Reijo Kontio	....	stunt coordinator
Kari Sunnela	....	stunts
Juha Vuontisvaara	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Olle Asplund	....	second assistant camera: Sweden
Björn Dokken	....	electrician: Sweden
Jami Granström	....	first assistant camera
Jami Granström	....	still photographer
Mika Hietala	....	extra lighting technician
Petri Kiljunen	....	camera assistant
Petri Kiljunen	....	second assistant camera
Oskar Larsson	....	electrician: Sweden
Antero Laurila	....	camera crew assist
Jani Lehtinen	....	gaffer
Matti Lehtinen	....	second assistant camera
Mikko Leinonen	....	camera assistant
Jarkko Liikanen	....	second assistant camera
Sami Mäntymaa	....	lighting technician
Antti Pirinen	....	lighting technician
Pekka Pohjanheimo	....	grip assistant
Karri Pöykiö	....	best boy
Tomi Salmela	....	lighting trainee
Peter Salovaara	....	grip assistant
Anton Sucksdorff	....	still photographer
Karri Takala	....	key grip

Casting Department
Heidi Puikko	....	casting: Rovaniemi, Finland
Ulla Vilponen	....	casting: Rovaniemi, Finland

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anni Keskinen	....	costume assistant
Emmi Leeve	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Sebastian Guest	....	colorist: Ireland
Markus Ihanti	....	post-production technical support (as Marcus Ihanti)
Joonas Kiviharju	....	telecine
Joonas Kivivuori	....	film scanning
Paula Köppe	....	post-production assistant: Ireland
Dominic Lord	....	digital engineer: Ireland
Edel McDonnell	....	post-production assistant: Ireland
Iseult Nolan	....	post-production assistant: Ireland
Karen O'Mahony	....	post-production coordinator: Ireland
Paulina Plezia	....	post-production assistant: Ireland
Jon Soldehed	....	assistant to editor

Music Department
Shea Fitzgerald	....	musician: whistles
José Carlos Anselmo Flores	....	violin
Juha Hakanen	....	music consultant
Gemma Hayes	....	vocals
Kim Kuusi	....	music consultant
Ari Ojala	....	music consultant
Sini Perho	....	music consultant
Oleg Ponomatev	....	violin
Hannu Sormunen	....	music consultant

Transportation Department
Jussi Heikkinen	....	driver
Jouni Kortesato	....	driver
Panu Lundgren	....	driver
Toni Tenhunen	....	driver

Other crew
Atso Akujärvi	....	assistant to location manager
Jari Alatalo	....	assistant to location manager
Rikard Andersson	....	production assistant: Sweden
Kris Gummerus	....	script translator
Noora Heikkilä	....	catering assistant
Tuuli Hietaniemi	....	runner
Panu Jyrä	....	assistant to location manager
Jorma Kaulanen	....	dialect consultant
Tommi Kilpiö	....	production assistant
Anne Kuusisto	....	production officer
Lotta Lanamäki	....	runner
Christoffer Lankinen	....	consultant: jiujitsu
Atte Laurila	....	marketing manager
Tommi Merelin	....	web site designer
Johanna Nikama	....	marketing assistant
Tuula Nikkola	....	script supervisor
Teemu Palosaari	....	dialect coach
Kerttu Penttilä	....	marketing assistant
Jane Persson	....	production accountant: Sweden
Amppu Perälä	....	dialect consultant
Maria Peura	....	dialect coach
Anni Pänkäälä	....	script supervisor
Tarja Raatikainen	....	caterer
Jorma Reinilä	....	controller
Maria Routa	....	production accountant
Emma Salekärr	....	craft services: Sweden
Hanna Salonen	....	production coordinator
Timo Suomi	....	production assistant
Teemu Torvinen	....	assistant to location manager
Hessu Tönkyrä	....	location manager
Hessu Tönkyrä	....	location scout
Milli Visuri	....	caterer
Aretta Vähälä	....	script translator
Jarkko Ylläsjärvi	....	dialect consultant
Jannika Öberg	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Anagram Produktion (co-production)
• Film i Väst (in co-production with)
• Helsinki Filmi Oy
• Irish Film Board (funding)
• Ripple World Pictures (co-production)

Distributors

• Solopan (2010) (Poland) (all media)
• Artsploitation Films (2012) (USA) (theatrical)
• DistriB Films (2011) (France) (theatrical)
• Future Film (2011) (Finland) (DVD)
• Pandastorm Pictures (2011) (Germany) (all media)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2010) (Finland) (all media)

Special Effects

• Filmgate (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Ardmore Sound  sound post-production
• Cloudberry Sound  post-production facilities
• EGG Post Production  post-production facilities
• Suomen Elokuvasäätiö  funding

Also Known As:

"Napapiirin sankarit" - Finland (original title)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

Finland | Iceland | Sweden

Language:

Finnish | English | Swedish | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

Finland:K-11 | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Kolari, Finland

Company:

Anagram Produktion

Movie Connections:

References "The Simpsons" (1989)

Soundtrack:

KIITOS KUN MUISTIT

The little country of Finland comes out from behind the snow to shine once again!

I have to admit that there was a lot of hype here in Finland surrounding the release of this movie in theaters. Finns are often very eager to see good films produced about their own country. While the selection of Finnish movies may be quite slim, pretty much all of them literally deserve good mention.

However no Finnish movie deserves as much mention as 'Napapiirin Sankarit' Take one completely fed up girlfriend and her final order to fulfill a 'certain seemingly very simple request'. Give that to one immature misguided goof and add his 2 similar-minded friends to the equation. Finish all of that off with a destination hundreds of kilometres away and a 24 hour time limit.

Can anyone say 'disaster road-trip'? What ensued was perhaps one of the most hilarious pan-out of events I have ever watched in my life. Filled with laughs, tears and an ending that you could have never guessed you in your life. Napapiirin Sankarit is a movie that will not be leaving your thoughts for a very, long time. This movie is a humorously 'chilling' reminder that life (and relationships especially) are very fragile things.

I recommend this movie to anyone who is trying learn what 'Finland' is all about. While the story may seem fictional to most, the events that transpire in this movie are 'more-than-likely' reality for Finns.

Don't waste your time reading my review, go out and watch this movie. For it is one movie that you will never regret sitting down to watch. Just remember if you don't understand Finnish to keep the subtitles on hand, you'll need them!