03/05/2023 - The six-episode show starring Peter Franzén, Sara Soulié and Pirkka-Pekka Petelius follows a looming global conflict as Finland is the target of an unknown military unit

Finnish helmer Aku Louhimies is now working on a new project, a six-part series titled Conflict. The Helsinki-born director is best known for his 2017 war drama The Unknown Soldier [+see also:
trailer
film profile], based on Väinö Linna’s novel of the same name and the most successful film of the year in Finland, where it grossed €13.5 million.

War takes centre stage once again in his latest endeavour. The show follows a looming global conflict as Finland becomes the target of an unknown military unit. The script was penned by the director himself with actor Andrei Alén and screenwriters Helena Immonen and Jari Olavi Rantala.

The story is set on Midsummer’s Eve, when the mysterious military unit takes over a peaceful seaside town. All data networks are disrupted, and the region falls silent. The motives and the origin of the enemy remain shrouded in mystery, with the whole of Europe being taken by surprise and under shock. Local residents turn into hostages, including 21-year-old Annika Berg, who is doing her military service. In seconds, her military exercise turns into a real crisis, involving actual casualties. Is this an isolated incident, or the first step to push the world into a new global conflict?

The confirmed main cast members are Peter Franzén (Helsinki Syndrome, Vikings), Sara Soulié (The Man Who Died, My Husband’s Wife) and Pirkka-Pekka Petelius (Team Ahma). The technical crew includes Oscar-nominated production designer Heather Loeffler (American Hustle) and editor Ben Mercer.

The project is set to enter production in Finland on 22 May and will wrap by late September. It will be shot in Finnish, Swedish and English.

Conflict is being produced by Andrei Alén and Louhimies for Backmann & Hoderoff and C More/MTV3 for Finland, with backing from Business Finland, the City of Hanko, US-based outfit XYZ Films, and private investors such as Avance Attorneys, Saab and Leijona Catering. The project has also received support from the Finnish Defence Forces.

The official release date is yet to be confirmed.