Fennada-Filmi was a Finnish film production company which was in operation from 1950 to 1982. It was one of the largest companies in its field in Finland from 1950s to 1970s.

Mauno Mäkelä Mauno Ilmari Mäkelä (7 March 1916 – 17 October 1987) was a Finnish film producer. He also appeared as an actor in films ''Iskelmäketju'' (1959) and ''Luottamus'' (1976). Mäkelä received a Jussi Award The Jussi Awards are Finland's pr ...

was the head of the company during its entire run.

Beginning

Fennada-Filmi had its foundation in the company Fenno-Filmi, which was founded in 1942 and produced 15 movies between 1944–1950. When Mauno Mäkelä was named the CEO of the company in 1949, arrangements began to combine productions of Fenno-Filmi and

Adams Filmi Adams Filmi Oy (previously Adamsin Filmitoimisto) was a Finnish film production company. Founded in 1912 by Abel Adams (1879–1938), the company was later merged with Fenno-Filmi which eventually became Fennada-Filmi. The Finnish Broadcasting ...

. New company Fennada-Filmi went active in the summer of 1950, and only the distributing duties remained for Adams Filmi. Mäkelä continued as the managing director and production manager of the new company.

1950–1960

The final film for Fenno-Filmi, ''Hallin Janne'' by

Roland af Hällström Gustaf Gabriel Roland af Hällström (23 August 1905 – 21 February 1956) was a Finnish film director. During his career, he directed 20 films, including ''Pikajuna pohjoiseen'' (1947), ''Läpi usvan'' (1948), ''Tukkijoella'' (1951), '' Noita pala ...

, was finished in the summer of 1950. At the same time, shooting began for Fennada-Filmi's first production ''Ratavartijan kaunis Inkeri'', directed by

Hannu Leminen Hannu Päiviö Leminen (originally Hanno Leminen; 5 January 1910 in Helsinki – 6 June 1997 in Turku) was a Finnish film director, set designer, screenwriter and later an executive at the Finnish Broadcasting Company. During his career, Lemine ...

. In 1952, Lasse Pöysti joined the company as a director, and made a total of eight films during the next years. Director Ville Salminen switched from Suomen Filmiteollisuus to Fennada-Filmi in 1953, and the next year

Aarne Tarkas Aarne Tarkas (until 1947 Saastamoinen, 19 December 1923 – 7 October 1976) was a Finnish film director, screenwriter, producer and actor. Tarkas started his career as a screenwriter for Matti Kassila film ''Radio tekee murron'' (1951) for which t ...

joined in as well. In 1955, Hällström directed Fennada-Filmi's first commercial success, ''Ryysyrannan Jooseppi'' which received three

Jussi Award The Jussi Awards are Finland's premier film industry prizes, awarded annually to recognize the achievements of directors, actors, and writers. History The first Jussi Awards ceremony was held on 16 November 1944 at the Restaurant Adlon in Hels ...

s. When Hällström died the next year, Mauno Mäkelä hired

Matti Kassila Matti Kassila (12 January 1924 – 13 December 2018) was a Finnish film director who achieved fame as one of the most prominent Finnish filmmakers in the 1950s and 1960s. He is most famous for the series of four Inspector Palmu movies, based on ...

as his replacement. Kassila's first Fennada-Filmi production was '' Elokuu'' (1956). Although the film received critical acclaim and won six Jussi Awards, it was not a commercial success. However, Kassila's next two films, ''Kuriton sukupolvi'' (1957) and ''Syntipukki'' (1957) – both remakes of the 1930s Finnish films – did well at the box office.

1960–1982

Since the beginning, Fennada-Filmi had suffered from lack of new ideas and resorted to remakes, while also keeping up the fast production pace. In 1961, two successful films premiered, Ritva Arvelo's ''Kultainen vasikka'' and Matti Kassila's ''

Kaasua, komisario Palmu! Gas, Inspector Palmu! (original Finnish title: ''Kaasua, komisario Palmu!'') is a 1961 Finnish crime movie directed by Matti Kassila. It is a sequel to Inspector Palmu's Mistake and is followed by The Stars Will Tell, Inspector Palmu. The main ...

'', which was a sequel to Kassila's '' Komisario Palmun erehdys'' (1960). That film had been produced by Suomen Filmiteollisuus, but Mauno Mäkelä managed to get the rights to the sequel.

Robert Balser Robert Edward "Bob" Balser (March 25, 1927 – January 4, 2016) was an American animator and animation director. Balser, together with co-director Jack Stokes, are best known as the animation directors for the 1968 film, '' Yellow Submarine'', whi ...

, an American animator, established Fennada-Filmi's animation department. The fate of Fennada-Filmi was at stake with the actors' strike in 1963, and a plan was made to sell the company to the

Finnish Broadcasting Company Yleisradio Oy ( Finnish, literally "General Radio Ltd." or "General Broadcast Ltd."; abbr. Yle ; sv, Rundradion Ab, italics=no), translated to English as the Finnish Broadcasting Company, is Finland's national public broadcasting company, foun ...

. This, however, proved to be a very controversial move, and the deal was cancelled. Throughout the mid-1960s, new films went into production only infrequently. In the fall of 1966, shooting began for a film adaptation of a

Väinö Linna Väinö Linna (; 20 December 1920 – 21 April 1992) was a Finnish author. He gained literary fame with his third novel, ''Tuntematon sotilas'' (The Unknown Soldier (novel), ''The Unknown Soldier'', published in 1954), and consolidated his posit ...

's '' Täällä Pohjantähden alla''. Directed by

Edvin Laine Edvin Laine (13 July 1905 – 18 November 1989) was a Finnish film director. Laine was born Bovellán. Laine directed a comedy '' Aaltoska orkaniseeraa'' and family film ''Sleeping Beauty'', both in 1949. '' The Unknown Soldier'', a film La ...

, the film premiered in the fall of 1968 and was a commercial success. The sequel ''

Akseli and Elina ''Akseli and Elina'' ( fi, Akseli ja Elina) is a 1970 Finnish drama film directed by Edvin Laine. It was entered into the 7th Moscow International Film Festival. The film is based on the third volume of Väinö Linna's novel trilogy '' Under the ...

'' also did well when it was released in 1970. Only five more films were released by Fennada-Filmi, with Laine's ''Ruskan jälkeen'' (1979) being the final one. In 1982, the Finnish Broadcasting Company bought the company, which marked the end of its run.

Films produced by Fennada-Filmi

1950s

1960s

*Justus järjestää kaiken(1960) *Kaasua, komisario Palmu! (1961) *Kultainen vasikka (1961) *

Tähdet kertovat, komisario Palmu ''The Stars Will Tell, Inspector Palmu'' (Finnish: ''Tähdet kertovat, komisario Palmu'') is a 1962 Finnish comedy-crime film directed by Matti Kassila. It is the third film in the ''Inspector Palmu'' series and the second one produced by Fenna ...

(1962) *Hermoprässi (1963) *Sissit (1963) *Hopeaa rajan takaa (1963) *Täällä alkaa seikkailu (1965) *Rakkaus alkaa aamuyöstä (1966) *Täällä Pohjantähden alla (1968) *

Vodkaa, komisario Palmu ''Vodkaa, komisario Palmu'' (''Vodka, Inspector Palmu'') is a 1969 film, the fourth and final part of the Inspector Palmu series. The only part of the series to be filmed in color, the film is also the only one not to be based on a novel by Mika ...

(1969) *Kesyttömät veljekset (1969)

1970s

(1970) * Aatamin puvussa... ja vähän Eevankin (1971) *Pohjantähti (1973) *Meiltähän tämä käy (1973) *Luottamus (1976) *Ruskan jälkeen (1979)

References

Sources

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fennada-Filmi History of film Film production companies of Finland Mass media companies established in 1950 Mass media companies disestablished in 1982 1982 disestablishments in Finland Finnish companies established in 1950