The first public showing of moving pictures was held in Helsinki’s Seurahuone 29.6.1896. It comprised 15 short films by the Lumière brothers.

The first film made in Finland was the documentary New in Helsinki - children from Nikolainkatu School during their break (1904). The cinematographer was, as far as we know, a foreigner from St. Petersburg. The two-minute film was shown in the circus manège in Siltasaari.

The first talking picture seen in Finland was Sonny Boy (The Singing Fool) shown at the Helsinki Capitol in 1929. The first talking picture in Finnish was Sano se suomeksi (Say it in Finnish) which premiered 30.3.1931.

Finland’s film production became established during the 1920s

Finland’s film production became established during the 1920s during which time an average of four feature films per year were produced. The greatest successes were mainly screen adaptations of folk literature.

The Second World War halted development of Finnish film. Once the privations of the post-war period were over, the situation for film only improved momentarily as the spread of television brought about a drop in cinema audiences.

The Unknown Soldier was the biggest success of the 1950s in Finland

The biggest success of the 1950s was the 1955 release of The Unknown Soldier based on Väinö Linna’s novel and directed by Edvin Laine.

The film went on to become an icon of Finnish national sentiment and of wartime and it is traditionally shown on television on Independence Day. It is the most widely-seen film of all time in Finnish cinemas and it was also a success abroad.

'The moaner’s war’

Väinö Linna’s The Unknown Soldier was published 3.12.1954. The novel immediately drew attention and initially positive reviews. The fuss around the novel began with Toini Havu’s negative review in Helsingin Sanomat.

The piece was entitled ‘the moaner’s war’ and this ‘moaner’ concept crystallized much of the debate about the book. At the same time word of mouth spread news of the book among enthusiastic readers. The book was a Christmas bestseller and it was passed on from hand to hand.

The movie was complated in record time

Part of the success is due to the film based on the book directed by Edvin Laine. T.J. Särkkä had bought the film rights at the very beginning of January in 1955 and shooting began the same winter.

At that time it was the most expensive Finnish film ever and it was completed in record time with the premiere taking place in December the same year.