Sauna (2008)

Director:

Antti-Jussi Annila

Writer:

Iiro Küttner (written by)

Release Date:

24 lokakuu 2008 (Finland)

Genre:

History | Horror

Tagline:

Wash your sins.

Plot:

As a 25-year war between Russia and Sweden concludes, two brothers who are part of an effort to outline new border accords become undone by their actions, and their mistreatment of a young woman during their journey. |

Plot Keywords:

Border | Guilt | Swamp | Dark Secret | Faceless Man

Awards:

4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Ville Virtanen	...	Eerik
Tommi Eronen	...	Knut
Viktor Klimenko	...	Semenski
Rain Tolk	...	Rogosin
Kari Ketonen	...	Musko
Sonja Petäjäjärvi	...	Poika
Vilhelmiina Virkkunen	...	Tytär
Taisto Reimaluoto	...	Isäntä
Ismo Kallio	...	Kylänvanhin
Kati Outinen	...	Eukko
Dick Idman	...	Roukkula
Ivo Kubecka	...	Munkki
Elena Leeve	...	Isännän tyttären ääni (voice)
Elena Spirina	...	Rogosinin äidin tuutulaulu (voice)
Peter Holmlund	...	Ruotsalaisten tulkki
Asko Vainio	...	Ondrei Suurinen
Timo Halonen	...	Ruotsalainen knihti
Eero Jaakkola	...	Ruotsalainen knihti
Aleksei Kettunen	...	Venäläinen streltsi
Juha Linna	...	Venäläinen streltsi
Stefano Pallanza	...	Venäläinen streltsi
Antti Eskola	...	Pohjalainen talonpoika
Markku Salo	...	Pohjalainen talonpoika
Heikki Tuomaala	...	Karjalainen talonpoika
Ari Wirta	...	Kaatamolainen talonpoika
Tarmo Leppänen	...	Kaatamolainen talonpoika
Kari Nurmi	...	Kaatamolainen talonpoika
Olavi Kari	...	Kaatamolainen talonpoika

Directed by
Antti-Jussi Annila		(as AJ Annila)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Iiro Küttner		written by

Produced by
Jesse Fryckman	....	producer
Filip Hejduk	....	line producer
Tero Kaukomaa	....	producer
Anna Konttinen	....	post-production producer
Heikki Leikola	....	associate producer
San Fu Maltha	....	associate producer
Artturi Mutanen	....	associate producer
Martti Ylöstalo	....	post-production producer

Original Music by
Panu Aaltio

Cinematography by
Henri Blomberg

Film Editing by
Joona Louhivuori

Casting by
Tutsa Paananen		(as Tutsa Virtanen)
Pia Pesonen
Ivan Vorlícek

Production Design by
Béda Vladimír Dvorák		(as Vladimir Bedrich Dvorak)
Antti Nikkinen
Ville Vauras

Costume Design by
Anna Vilppunen

Makeup Department
Martina Janatova	....	assistant makeup artist
Linda Kopecka	....	makeup assistant
Salla Mäntymaa	....	makeup artist
Tereza Pracharova	....	makeup assistant
Laura Rantaniemi	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
David Promberger	....	production manager
Essi Suomela	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Shakir Hafoudh	....	second assistant director
Antti Lahtinen	....	assistant director

Art Department
Ellinoora Aro	....	set assistant
Timo Hyppönen	....	graphic designer
Jiri Maran	....	set decorating stand-by
Jiri Navratil	....	props
Petri Österlund	....	property master
Ahti Pursiainen	....	set assistant
Michael Rossler	....	property master
Juha Säkkinen	....	property master: second unit
Saara Salmi	....	set assistant
Riina Sipovaara	....	graphic designer
Frantisek Sloup	....	set decorating stand-by
Petr Votava	....	prop buyer

Sound Department
Joonas Jyrälä	....	sound recordist
Vesa Meriläinen	....	sound
Miia Nevalainen	....	foley editor
Miia Nevalainen	....	foley mixer
Olli Pärnänen	....	sound mixer
Panu Riikonen	....	sound recordist
Panu Riikonen	....	sound

Special Effects by
Erkki Feodoroff	....	special effects technician
Jarno Jernström	....	special effects technician
Jiri Maran	....	special effects stand-by
Jukkis Nissilä	....	special effects foreman
Jonas Nourisson	....	special effects technician
Mikko Sarkkinen	....	special effects coordinator
Terhi Silenius	....	special effects assistant
Frantisek Sloup	....	special effects stand-by
Ilkka Vanhamäki	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Juha Jokinen	....	visual effects
Pasi Kaarto	....	visual effects coordinator
Lasse Kilpiä	....	animator: titles
Sakari Leppä	....	visual effects
Timo-Pekko Nieminen	....	visual effects
Antti Peltoranta	....	visual effects
Eric Raunio	....	animator: titles
Carlos Santos	....	animator: titles
Olli Leppänen	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Pavel Bezdek	....	stunt coordinator
David Matousek	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Sari Aaltonen	....	first assistant camera
Antti Härkönen	....	first assistant camera: 2nd unit
Jindra Kares	....	lighting technician (as Jindrich Kares)
Aleksi Koskinen	....	still photographer
Kosti Lehikoinen	....	key grip
Jarkko Liikanen	....	second assistant camera
Sami Mäntymaa	....	lighting technician
Harri Naarajärvi	....	key grip: 2nd unit
Juha Niska	....	best boy
Joel Siitonen	....	grip assistant
Sami Toro	....	key grip
Anne Vahlsten	....	second assistant camera: 2nd unit
Henry Wacklin	....	gaffer

Casting Department
Frantisek Petrak	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Katka Coufalikova	....	costume assistant (as Katerina Coufalikova)
Henrik Heiskanen	....	seamstress
Onerva Hemmilä	....	costume cutter
Onerva Hemmilä	....	head of sewing room
Apolena Krotka	....	costume assistant
Emmi Leeve	....	assistant to costume designer
Katja Rautapohja	....	seamstress
Susanna Tekkala	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
Giuseppe Di Giorgio	....	digital transfer
Pentti Keskimäki	....	color grader
Outi Kinnunen	....	film scanner
Joonas Kiviharju	....	film scanner
Antti Reikko	....	assistant editor
Ville-Matti Vasama	....	on-line editor

Music Department
Panu Aaltio	....	musician: synthesizer
Panu Aaltio	....	orchestrator
Niall Acott	....	music recordist
Dave Daniels	....	musician: solo cello
Matt Dunkley	....	conductor
Mark Forster	....	assistant music recordist
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra coordinator
Charlotte Matthews	....	assistant orchestra coordinator
Perry Montague Mason	....	concert master (as Perry Montague-Mason)
Mikko Oinonen	....	music mixer
Anna-Kaisa Pippuri	....	musician: English horn

Transportation Department
Lubomir Dopita	....	driver: makeup bus
Juha-Antti Heikkinen	....	transportation
Petr Hybner	....	transportation
Jiri Kotan	....	transportation
Timo Lahtinen	....	transportation
Jirí Malek	....	driver: costume bus (as Jiri Malek)
Jirí Malek	....	driver: production trailer
Jirí Marek	....	driver: off-road vehicle
Kamil Zimmer	....	transportation

Other crew
Jenni Ahlbom	....	horse keeper
Anne-Mari Antila	....	horse keeper
Ladislav Benetka	....	genny
Jana Bukovska	....	finances
Susan Heiskanen	....	translator
Kati Helander	....	marketing intern
Niina Honkasola	....	marketing intern
Vladimir Horak	....	minibus hire
Sini Hormio	....	script supervisor
David Hysek	....	minibus hire
Hannu Iso-Herttua	....	horse keeper
Sinikka Iso-Herttua	....	horse keeper
Sini Jääskeläinen	....	production assistant
Petr Jelinek	....	runner
Ukko Kaarto	....	marketing manager
Marketa Kaderkova	....	finances
Aleksei Kettunen	....	translator: Russian dialogue
Jenny Kilpi	....	horse keeper
Jiri Krejcir	....	set properties
Lotta Lanamäki	....	production assistant
Martti Lehelä	....	cars
Tuomas Lius	....	translator
Marika Mäkelä	....	horse keeper
Veli-Matti Mäkolä	....	finances
Maija Nurmio	....	double: Tytär
Mikael Palsio	....	trainee
Sico Plosiny	....	cherrypicker operator
Olli Rinne	....	marketing intern
Pavel Rizek	....	genny
Inari Sainio	....	caterer
Barbara Sarochova	....	production coordinator
Valtteri Simonen	....	translator: Russian dialogue
Martin Stanék	....	base camp runner (as Martin Stanek)
Essi Suomela	....	finances
Jaakko Toppari	....	double: Musko
Ville-Matti Vasama	....	film printing

Thanks
Antti Hukkanen	....	thanks
Timo-Pekko Nieminen	....	special thanks
Jarmo Puskala	....	thanks
Timo Vuorensola	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Bronson Club
• Etic Pictures
• Yleisradio (YLE)

Distributors

• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2008) (Finland) (theatrical)
• IFC Films (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2009) (Finland) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Blastwave

Other Companies

• Dakota Music Services  music preparation
• Digital Film Finland Oy  post-production facilities
• E. D. A. Catering  catering
• EVTEK-ammattikorkeakoulu  visual effects
• Elokuvamuonitus Nakki  catering
• Finnlab  film lab
• Helsinging Tilikeskus Oy  financing
• Meguru Film Sound  sound post-production
• PRO3  extras casting
• Roolituspalvelu Oy  casting
• Scandia Rent  cars
• Set 4 You  set building
• Soundtrack Studio  music studio
• Suomen Elokuvasäätiö  funding

Also Known As:

Filth (International: English title) (pre-release title)

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

Finland | Czech Republic

Language:

Finnish | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Finland

Company:

Bronson Club

Finland showing cinematic muscles

Euro-horror is doing good business lately. France, Great-Britain and Spain are all battling on the front lines, but smaller countries like Belgium are producing splendid genre works too. Enter Finland, a somewhat cinematic void for me, showing their muscles with Sauna. A horror film that fairs well with its European peers but also succeeds in giving Finnish cinema a face, although a grim one.

The film's premise is kept rather vague and for people not living close to Finland or familiar with its history the film might take a flying start. Two teams, one Finnish and one Russian, are sent out to draft a new border after a long-raging war. They cross the barren lands in order to fight a more civilized war in trying to decide who gets what. Even though the film is set a good 400 years back in history, it could've well been just 50 years ago. Not that the film looks too modern for its setting, it's just that the characters are never really surrounded by recognizable cultural references. Safe from a pair of glasses and the clothing, it's all swamp and unforgiving nature that is served to the audience.

The two teams don't get along very well, but the one really stirring things up is Erik, a long-life warrior who has trouble adjusting to the new-found peace. Even though he wears glasses to fake a distinguished look, he is a true barbarian, murdering and abusing everyone coming across his way. The only one he seems to care for is his little brother, who was sheltered from the war as college student. The first half of the film is spent drawing out the relationships between the different characters, giving the audience some time to adjust to the happenings in the film. From the moment they arrive in an unlisted village in the middle of a swamp, the the core plot and the titular Sauna make their entrance.

Sauna has a couple of things going for it. First of all there is the performance of Ville Virtanen, portraying the Erik character as someone that is simply terrifying. As simple as those glasses may be, they make him out as someone with a certain sense of civilization while in reality he is as bad as they come by. His performance is hard as nails and unsettling. The rest of the casts plays along nicely, although none of them really make a big impression.

Visually the film is very consistent. Grey, dark colors and rough landscapes make up most of the visual scenery. No bright colors are seen, even the blood in the film is dark red, almost black. The camera work is solid too and helps in setting the atmosphere nicely. But even though it gives the film plenty of flair, there's never that little extra to make the film rise above its rivals. The soundtrack too is extremely fitting, with some very nifty sound deformations and good, supporting music. It has an ambient-like quality only furthering the grim and dark atmosphere of the film.

As the film progresses the story is slowly revealed an even though the premise is intriguing, you'll be left guessing at least for a little on how it all fits together. The ending is somewhat vague and even though impressive, won't bring you any clear answers. Looking back at the film, it has a lot of parallels with Vinyan (even small details - just think of the shots of water becoming blood-soaked), though Sauna is a much more subdued film, without any real climaxes or cinematic bursts. Depending on what you like more, you might prefer this one over Vinyan which has more curves compared to the straight line that is this film.

Nonetheless, Sauna is an impressive experience, solid in just about every department. Extremely strong lead, nice and fitting visuals, great soundtrack and intriguing storyline. And if you won't miss the climaxes, this will be exactly your thing. A recommendation for all fans of European horror out there. Just don't be expecting guts and gore, Sauna plays at atmosphere, grit and travels through the darker parts of the human mind. 4.0*/5.0*