Elisa Viihde, Rabbit Films, Keshet Int’l team for Finnish drama ‘Summer of Sorrow’

Finnish streamer Elisa Viihde has commissioned mystery thriller Summer of Sorrow, to be produced by Rabbit Films and distributed by Keshet International

The 10-part series is set in the early 1980s, and is the tale of one horrible summer, seen from the perspective of the local children.

Created by Jani Volanen, Summer of Sorrow (Munkkivuori) is set in an idyllic Finnish suburb, where a small child disappears. With little support from the police, parents take justice into their own hands, launching a man hunt. The children take note of everything going on around them, and despite the adults efforts to protect the youngsters from the tragedy, a hidden secret from the past re-appears once again.

Principle photography is planned from May 2020 in Helsinki. Summer of Sorrow will also be directed by Volanen (M/S Romantic) with Rabbit Films’ Minna Haapkylä and Olli Suominen as executive producers.

Elisa Viihde will air the drama in autumn 2021. Keshet International will distribute both the finished tape and format of Summer of Sorrow internationally. Additional funding is provided by Business Finland, Nelonen and The Finnish Film Foundation.

Ani Korpela, head of content for Elisa Viihde, said: “This intriguing and gripping tale of revenge  will deliver a compelling thriller with strong appeal for our audiences.”

Sebastian Burkhardt, KI’s md of global content, said: “Finnish fiction is emerging as the hotbed for distinctive drama from the Nordic Region. Jani Volanen is a stand-out creative force in Finland, and partnering up with him and Rabbit and Elisa Viihde on this, his latest project, is a real privilege.”

Elisa Viihde has released 18 original series since 2014 including Californian Commando, All the Sins, Arctic Circle, Bullets, Man in Room 301, Shadow Lines, Downshifters and The Office Finland.