Finland’s production companies Whatevergroup – known for Elisa Viihde’s crime series “Evilside” – and Mutant Koala Pictures have merged, launching Whatever Pictures.
Described as a film and TV production company and scripted studio “with global ambition and northern soul,” it will see these “two Finnish scripted indies working side by side in the country’s far north,” focusing on original productions, co-productions, providing production services and post-production coordination.
Headquartered in Oulu, Whatever Pictures will “blend tech-savvy entrepreneurial drive with the grit of the Arctic” and draw inspiration from the “extreme environments of its surroundings; the harsh winters, midnight sun and untamed wilderness.” All this will shape their narratives, “imbuing them with tension, resilience and unexpected humor.”
“The merger is a culmination of a long process. We are in a stronger position to answer to new challenges of the funding situation in Finland but the process started from the will to find good partners. Together, we have broader shoulders,” the team told Variety in a shared statement.
Whatevergroup and Mutant Koala Pictures will remain as sub-labels of the Whatever Pictures family and act as service and production partners.
“We will focus on excellent writing, searching for time and resources to focus on stories on their first stage in order to bring the best fiction to the world.”
The company’s upcoming slate includes thrillers, mysteries, dramas, comedies and high-end documentaries. Among new projects is “Torna a Surriento,” a European co-production with Glassriver in Iceland, Rein Film in Norway and Viola Films in Italy for Finland’s YLE, Icelandic streamer Siminn and Italy’s RAI.
In the show, a street-smart Neapolitan hustler inherits a remote estate in Finnish Lapland. He sees it as a quick payday until he’s forced to stay, clashing with the Sami community and falling for a fierce reindeer herder.
Action thriller “Transporter,” set over one day in northern Finland when a donor heart is hijacked during transport, is also on the way. Directed by Jussi Hiltunen (“Bordertown,” “Arctic Circle”), it will be showcased during industry event Finnish Film Affair in Helsinki.
“Our job up here is equal parts grit and ambition: crossing a swamp on Tuesday and a red carpet on Friday are part of the same week,” said CEO Antti Kaarlela.
Creative producer Jukka Vidgren added: “Creating stories people want to watch is what we have done separately for a long time – in Finland, across Scandinavia, around the globe and now, collectively. We believe the best stories are the ones worth sharing everywhere.”
Antti Kairakari (creative producer), Pia Ervasti (CFO/line producer), Aleksi Puranen (head of development) and Petteri Staven (VFX supervisor) will round out the team.
“We know the North, we know our craft and we believe the extremes we live with every day – light, dark, isolation, humor – are the perfect foundation for stories that resonate everywhere,” said Kaarlela.
variety.com
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