Juho Kuosmanen's "Compartment No 6" now in post-production
Juho Kuosmanen’s drama Compartment No 6 is now in post-production. The Finnish helmer, who is best known for The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki (screened in Un Certain Regard at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and the recipient of its top prize), managed to wrap filming last March, despite the impending COVID-19 outbreak.
The news was first reported by
Estonian Film magazine.
The project, shot in Saint Petersburg, Murmansk and other Russian cities, was penned by Estonian writers
Livia Ulman and
Andris Feldmanis. The story is set in 1996 and revolves around Laura (played by
Seidi Haarla), a Finnish student who leaves Moscow with loss in her heart and a mess in her head. She decides to take a train to Murmansk to see some 10,000-year-old rock paintings. During her journey, she is forced to share her train with Vadim (
Yurij Borisov), a Russian miner. The vulgar company of the man and the desolate reality of the Russian towns she passes through start to dissolve Laura’s romanticised ideas about her trip. Later on, Laura arrives in Murmansk only to realise that she is not allowed to see the rock paintings, and so she seeks help from Vadim.
The technical crew includes DoP
Jani-Petteri Passi (
Corporation), production designer
Kari Kankaanpää (
Aurora) and costume designer
Jaanus Vahtra (
November).
Compartment No 6 is being produced by
Jussi Rantamäki for Aamu Filmcompany (Finland),
Riina Sildos for Amrion (Estonia),
Jamila Wenske for Achtung Panda! Media (Germany) and
Natalia Drozd for CTB Film Company (Russia).
Anneli Savitski will serve as the line producer. The movie’s international sales have been entrusted to Paris-based Totem Films. Its distribution will be handled by B-Plan Distribution in Finland, Folkets Bio in Sweden, Mer Films in Norway and 41 Shadows in Denmark. The film is set to world-premiere in May 2021.