Paha maa (2005)

Director:

Aku Louhimies

Writers:

Paavo Westerberg (screenplay) and
Jari Rantala (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

14 January 2005 (Finland)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

In the end things work out for the best for all of us.

Plot:

When a schoolteacher is sacked he projects his bad mood at his troubled teen son. He in turn buys a CD player from a pawnshop with counterfeit money...

Plot Keywords:

Counterfeit Money | Pawnshop | Car Salesman | Funeral | Domestic Violence

Awards:

17 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Jasper Pääkkönen	...	Niko Smolander
Mikko Leppilampi	...	Tuomas Mikael Saraste
Pamela Tola	...	Elina Oravisto
Petteri Summanen	...	Antti Arhamo
Matleena Kuusniemi	...	Hannele Arhamo
Mikko Kouki	...	Isto Virtanen
Sulevi Peltola	...	Teuvo 'Teukka' Hurskainen
Pertti Sveholm	...	Pertti Smolander
Samuli Edelmann	...	'Jartsa' Matikainen
Saara Pakkasvirta	...	Kauppiaan äiti
Pekka Valkeejärvi	...	Kauppias
Susanna Anteroinen	...	Rehtori
Niklas Hellakoski	...	Konsta
Emilia Suoperä	...	Maria
Jonathan Kajander	...	Joonatan 'Jonttu' Arhamo

Also Known As:

Frozen Land (Finland) (alternative title) (Hong Kong: English title) (festival title) (International: English title) (USA)
Eisiges Land (Germany) (TV title) [de]
Frozen Land (Denmark) [da]
Frozen Land (Netherlands) (festival title) [nl]
Fruset land (Sweden) [sv]
Terra Congelada (Brazil) (festival title) [pt]

Runtime:

130 min | UK:132 min

Country:

Finland

Language:

Finnish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Philippines:R-13 | Sweden:15 | Hong Kong:III | UK:18 | Netherlands:16 | Finland:K-15

Filming Locations:

Helsinki, Finland

Company:

Solar Films

Trivia:

There was severe disagreement on the final cut of this film. Director Aku Louhimies did not approve the edition, which Solar Films originally planned to release. On 2 December 2004 Louhimies filed Helsinki Municipal Court a cease and desist letter where he requests that Solar Films may not distribute the version he hasn't approved on threat of 300 000 euro fine. The situation was solved some days later, when Louhimies and producer Markus Selin agreed the dispute by making one more edition of the film, which satisfied both parties.

Movie Connections:

Version of L'argent (1983)

Soundtrack:

Lumottu maa

Gripping

This is another of those rare movies one feels grateful to be introduced to instead of the usual Hollywood tripe. It really is a roller coaster ride, as we follow the effects of a a forged 500 Euro note on a multitude of people. One asks 'what if' all the time but it certainly is a butterfly effect captured on film. It'll have you laughing, crying and biting your lip. I loved every minute of it! And thank you SBS Australia for showing films that are truly entertaining, even worth the effort to read the subtitles. The only downside to my mind is that I wont be booking a holiday to the Frozen Land - they all seem to be far too depressed - must be all that cold weather. Either way, watch it - it's worth every second.