26-06-2022

PRODUCTION: Multi-national TV Series Estonia Shoots in Belgium

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    Estonia TV series Estonia TV series source: Fisher King Oy

    TALLINN: The TV drama series Estonia, a coproduction between Finland, Estonia, Belgium and Sweden, is currently shooting in Belgium. Estonia tells the tragic events of 28 September 1994, when the MS Estonia ferry sank on the Baltic Sea, taking 852 lives. The series is budgeted at 13 m EUR and planned to be broadcast as eight 45-minute episodes or four 90-minute episodes.

    The showrunner is Miikko Oikonen from Finland, and Swedish Måns Månsson and Finnish Juuso Syrjä are directing.

    The series is produced by Fisher King Oy from Finland in coproduction with Estonia’s Amrion, Belgium’s Panache Productions and Kärnfilm Ab from Sweden. The producers are: Tarja Ahava (Finland), Lina Ehrenpreis (Sweden) and Elina Litvinova (Estonia). Matti Halonen (Finland), Johannes Lassila (Finland), Martina Stöhr (Sweden), Petra Jönsson (Sweden), Riina Sildos (Estonia) and André Logie (Belgium) are executive producers.

    The Estonian Film Institute supported the development with 20,000 EUR. MTV/CMore and the Scandinavian, Finnish and Belgian national film funds are supporting the project.

    Estonia is prominently represented in the creative aspects of the series, with Andris Feldmanis and Livia Ulman involved as screenwriters, Jaanus Vahtra as costume designer, Kaire Hendrikson as make-up designer, Matis Mäesalu and Eva Maria Gramakovski as set designers, as well as several actors like Gert Raudsep, Priit Pius and Juhan Ulfsak in key roles.

    The shooting started in Belgium on 30 May 2022, in one of the world’s largest pavilion pools, where part of the MS Estonia ferry was constructed. The production is planned to continue until 30 October 2022 with locations in Belgium, Turkey, Estonia, Finland and Sweden. The Estonian parts will be filmed from 10 August to 9 September 2022.

    German Beta Film is handling the sales.

    Production Information:

    Producer:
    Fisher King Oy (Finland)

    Coproducers:
    Amrion (Estonia)
    Kärnfilm Ab (Sweden)
    Panache Productions (Belgium)

    Credits:
    Script & showrunner: Miikko Oikonen
    Director: Måns Månsson, Juuso Syrjä
    Screenwriters: Andris Feldmanis, Livia Ulman, Henrik Engström
    Makeup designer: Kaire Hendrikson
    Set designers: Matis Mäesalu, Eva-Maria Gramakovski
    Costume designer: Jaanus Vahtra
    Cast: Gert Raudsep, Priit Pius, Juhan Ulfsak
    Finland: Henri Peltonen, Jussi Nikkilä, Pasi Toukola, Pertti Sveholm, Ari Luoma-Aho, Pelle Heikkilä, Teijo Seppelin, Hannes Suominen
    Sweden: Erik Oldenburg, Anders Mossling, Jörgen Berglund, Peter Andersson, Johan Bilgren, Claes Hartelius, Jenny Andersson, Katia Winter, Peter Ekblom, Sven Boräng
    Estonia: Arnold Rooste, Egon Nuter, Mattias Vint, Rain Simmul, Janek Tamm, Kaspar Velberg, Grete Kukk, Doris Tislar