Haugesund-Bound Urho Kekkonen Project From ‘All the Sins’ Producer Locks First Partners (EXCLUSIVE)

variety.com:

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Seasoned Finnish producer Ilkka Matila (“The Eternal Road”, “All the Sins”) of MRP Matila Röhr has signed with Estonia’s Taska Film and locked early support from the Finnish Film Institute and local commercial channel MTV3 for the $2.7m film “Between the Hammer and the Sickle.” Nordisk Film holds Scandinavian rights.

To be pitched on Aug. 24 at the Nordic Co-Production Market in Haugesund, Norway, the title will be one of Matila’s most defining projects, a feature which he believes will stay, along the lines of the multi-awarded “Mother of Mine” or “The Eternal Road.” “Between the Hammer and the Sickle” will be one of the first features ever to portray Finland’s illustrious former president Urho Kekkonen.

Head of state for nearly 26 years, Kekkonen served as the longest-serving Finnish president from 1956 until 1981 and masterminded his country’s policy of neutrality, keeping at bay the threatening Soviet Union with which Finland shares 800 miles of border. “I grew up with the Cold War, now war is returning in Europe, and is at our doorsteps – Ukraine,” said Matila. “Our president at the time Kekkonen was known as the Soviet whisperer, for his policy of conciliation with the Soviets; he was able to maintain peace and stability, and acted to protect our fragile democracy, always threatened by the anti-democratic giant,” Matila recalled.

He added: “I have made 44 features in the past 30 years and one thing I’ve learnt is that if I have a point to make, it becomes all the more evident when set in the past.