Principal photography was completed for the family film Christmas Story, the first big Finnish Christmas film, in March 2007. The secrets of Santa Claus’s unknown childhood are revealed in the film that finally tells the story of how and why Santa became what he is.
Hannu-Pekka Björkman takes on the lead role of the adult Santa Claus. The other roles are played by a host of talented Finnish actors, some with an international claim to fame. Christmas Story’s strong cast includes Kari Väänänen (internationally perhaps most known for his work with the Kaurismäkis), Minna Haapkylä (whose career is starting to bloom in France), Mikko Leppilampi, Laura Birn and Mikko Kouki. The film introduces two new, bright talents: This is the feature debut for the pop singer Antti Tuisku and the young Otto Gustavsson. Christmas Story is directed by Juha Wuolijoki from a script by Marko Leino.
The exteriors were shot on location in Lapland. Despite the challenging conditions in the middle of winter, the shoot went remarkably well. The snowy serenity of Lapland’s winter and the awe-inspiring colors of the autumn make for some magical visuals. Christmas Story is on schedule for its November 2007 theatrical release. “Christmas Story” is produced by Snapper Films Oy and distributed in Scandinavia by Sandrew Metronome Distribution Finland Oy.
