THE PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY OF HOMELAND BY MARKKU PÖLÖNEN COMMENCES IN AUGUST – THE MAIN LOCATIONS INCLUDE HELSINKI AND NORTHERN KARELIA

Director Markku Pölönen starts to shoot his new feature film Homeland on the August 7th in Helsinki, which is practically a virgin location for Pölönen. He has only shot a few scenes in Helsinki before. The main locations of Homeland are in northern Karelia; Rääkkylä, Kontiolahti and Joensuu. The first shooting period wraps in mid-September. The winter shoot will take place in northern Karelia and the exact times and places will be announced later.

The main cast of Homeland will include Oona Airola (known for The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki) and Konsta Laakso, who has collaborated with Pölönen on theater stages. The script is based on the original idea by Markku Pölönen, who has also written the screenplay with Antti Heikkinen. Paula Vesala has acted as a dramaturg. The movie is produced by Solar Films, with Rimbo Salomaa, Markus Selin and Jukka Helle as producers. The other cast will be announced separately.

Homeland is a love story which takes place after the WWII. The timeline includes a seven-year period, from 1945 (the end of the war) to 1952 (The Helsinki Olympic Games). Veikko and Anni are lovers and are given a “cold farm”; they have to start their farming in a rough, wild piece of land. The storyline includes events from real history; how the evaquated civilians (known as evacuees), veterans of the war and war invalids were settled to different parts of war-torn Finland.

Pölönen has been planning, contemplating, pondering and writing the genre and the emotional palette of this movie for already six years. “The pre-production of this film is like slow food, compared to the fast food and quick tempo of the modern world”, says the director.

The test shoot for the extras will be held on July 5th 2017 at the Joensuu Science Park. The production is looking for people who fit the period; especially with baking, dancing and animal wrangling skills. People from all parts of the country are welcome but the director always has held a special part in his movies for the people from his own neighborhood.

“The extras from northern Karelia are the best; they can find their place in the frame in an astonishing way. Their attitude and their emotions are always spot on. And so, it is very easy to direct them. If you put them in a bus and shoot them from the direction of the driver; that is cinema by itself”, praises Pölönen.

The instructions for the extras can be found at:
https://www.facebook.com/eastfinlandfilmcommission/