Skip to main content

SF Studios has acquired the film rights to the awarded novel Arctic Mirage by author Terhi Kokkonen

28 March 2022

Pihla Viitala (director) & Terhi Kokkonen (author)

Copyright: Photo credit: Pietari Purovaara

SF Studios announced today that it has acquired the film rights to the awarded psychological novel Arctic Mirage (Rajamaa, Otava 2020) written by the acclaimed Finnish author and vocalist Terhi Kokkonen. The Finnish production company Elokuvayhtiö Komeetta (Maria’s Paradise, Kikka!, Hit Big) will produce the film and the renowned Finnish actress Pihla Viitala (Deadwind, Latin Lover, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters) will make her feature film debut as a director. SF Studios will handle Nordic and International distribution.

The married couple Karo and Risto go on a holiday in Northern Finland to give themselves time to fix their stressful marriage. However, on their way home, they get into a car accident and are subsequently forced to stay at the only accommodation in the area; the luxurious Hotel Arctic Mirage. Once inside, they find that the hotel has a rather strange atmosphere, and it starts to have a peculiar effect on them. Karo begins to doubt her own memories and tries her best to escape the snowbound hotel holiday village whereas Risto starts to feel strange and refuses to leave. Will their relationship survive the next six days?

Arctic Mirage (Rajamaa, Otava 2020) has won the prestigious Helsingin Sanomat Literature prize for the best debut novel of 2020. The novel has become a bestseller in Finland and the book rights have been sold to Germany and Estonia. The author behind the successful book is Terhi Kokkonen who is also a vocalist known from the bands Scandinavian Music Group and Ultra Bra. The award-winning author Terhi Kokkonen is repped by Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

 "I'm really happy that Rajamaa is going to be a film! It's nice for a writer that one's work is adapted into a film, but what makes this project special is that the visionary and talented Pihla Viitala has been chosen as the director", says Terhi Kokkonen.

Arctic Mirage is a strong-spirited, psychological novel about people in exceptional circumstances. It keeps the reader gripped and provides chills on every page. We are excited to turn this thrilling novel into a film together with Elokuvayhtiö Komeetta with talented Pihla Viitala directing”, says Yaba Holst, Head of Nordic Acquisition at SF Studios.

I'm more than happy for this opportunity to direct a film adaptation about this extraordinary book written by a great author Terhi Kokkonen. The character driven story takes us into a unique world, where the border between sanity and insanity is unclear and time seems to disappear.” says Pihla Viitala, director.

 

For more information, please contact: 
Yaba Holst, Head of Nordic Acquisition, SF Studios, yaba.holst@sfstudios.se, +46 73 411 95 35
Malin Strihagen, Vice President Brand & Communications, SF Studios,
malin.strihagen@sfstudios.se, +46 70 780 39 35

About SF Studios
SF Studios, established in 1919, is one of the world’s oldest film companies. Today SF Studios is the leading film studio in the Nordic region with its headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden and offices in Oslo, Copenhagen, Helsinki and London. The company is producing and distributing feature films and TV series as well as providing the streaming service SF Anytime. SF Studios is part of the leading Nordic media company Bonnier.

About Elokuvayhtiö Komeetta
Helsinki based Elokuvayhtiö Komeetta is founded in 2014 by it’s producers Daniel Kuitunen and Kaisla Viitala. Komeetta’s films have screened in over 130 festivals globally, for example Sundance 2017 & 2020 and Tiff 2019, receiving several awards. In 2022 Komeetta will have two feature film premieres, Kikka! by Anna Paavilainen and Hit Big by JP Valkeapää.

Latest news

27/3/2026

SF Studios secures film adaptation rights to Sara Blædel’s popular children’s crime series

SF Studios has acquired the film adaptation rights to Sara Blædel’s popular children’s crime series De Berygtede (The Notorious), including the first book The Notorious: The Mystery of the Blue Lady. Already a major success among young readers, the series will now be developed into a Danish family film produced by SF Studios, with Sara Blædel closely involved in the creative process.

26/3/2026

SF Studios strengthens SF Anytime with Katarina Werner as new EVP & General Manager

SF Studios today announces that Katarina Werner has been appointed EVP & General Manager SF Anytime, effective June. With more than 15 years of experience scaling digital, subscription, and content-driven businesses across media and streaming, she will lead the continued development and growth of SF Anytime.

16/3/2026

Greenland is suddenly everyone’s business - now it’s Blockbuster’s too

And yes, Greenland 2: Migration premieres at the same time. Greenland has recently found itself at the centre of global headlines and geopolitical conversations. Now, it’s getting another kind of attention: The streaming service Blockbuster is officially launching on the island.

19/1/2026

Eagles of the Republic by Tarik Saleh Wins Six Guldbagge Awards

Tarik Saleh’s political thriller Eagles of the Republic enjoyed a major triumph at the Guldbagge Awards, Sweden’s national film awards, held this evening at Cirkus in Stockholm. The film won six Guldbagge Awards, including Best Film, Best Screenplay, and Best Male Actor in a Leading Role for Fares Fares.

18/12/2025

SF Studios presents new Danish thriller by Frederik Louis Hviid and Tobias Lindholm

Frederik Louis Hviid and Tobias Lindholm join forces in the new Danish feature film TORPEDO – an intense thriller dealing with the Danish underworld where kids and youngsters are weaponized in organized crime – so-called torpedoes. TORPEDO is produced by Marcella Dichmann for SF Studios and is expected to open in cinemas in 2027. 

11/12/2025

Eagles of the Republic by Tarik Saleh nominated for 11 Swedish Guldbagge Awards

Today the Guldbagge Jury of the Swedish Film Institute announced that Sweden’s Oscar Submission Eagles of the Republic by Tarik Saleh is nominated for Guldbagge Awards in 11 categories, including Best film.

14/10/2025

SF Studios launches new YouTube channel showcasing iconic film classics

SF Studios is proud to announce the launch of SF Studios Classics, a new YouTube channel dedicated to making the company’s extensive film archive accessible to a wide audience. The channel features film classics, offering film lovers a unique opportunity to rediscover some of the most iconic works in cinema history, as well as to discover hidden gems and new favorites from SF Studios’ rich legacy.

01/10/2025

Harmonica Films & SF Studios produce new drama thriller Till Death Do Us Part for TV4

Today, the new TV4 drama thriller Till Death Do Us Part is announced. Shot in Stockholm during the spring, the six-episode series stars Aliette Opheim (The Congregation, Caliphate, Black Crab) and Filip Berg (Whiskey on the Rocks, Trouble, A Man Called Ove). Julia Lindström directs the series with an original screenplay by Veronica Zacco. Per Janérus produces for Harmonica Films. The series is expected to premiere in the fall of 2026.

30/9/2025

SF Studios Announces New Feature Film The Trip to Piedmont, now in production in Italy

Today, SF Studios announces its new feature film, The Trip to Piedmont (Resan till Piemonte), directed by EFA-nominated Alexandra-Therese Keining, who also has written the screenplay based on an original idea. The film brings together four of Sweden’s most beloved actors - Helena Bergström, Kjell Bergqvist, Björn Kjellman, and Kajsa Ernst - in a rare ensemble collaboration. A heartwarming feelgood story set against the stunning backdrop of Italy, The Trip to Piedmont explores friendship and the beauty of second chances. Filming is currently underway in Italy, with the Swedish theatrical premiere slated for 2026.

19/9/2025

Audience success PRETTY YOUNG LOVE selected for prestigious competition at Tallinn Black Nights Festival

The Danish love drama Pretty Young Love (SMUKKERE) has been selected for competition at the internationally acclaimed Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival—one of Northern Europe’s largest and most prestigious film festivals, and one of only 15 A-list film festivals in the world.

17/9/2025

SF Studios and Nordisk Film urge the Finnish government to reconsider the proposed significant cuts in film funding

The Finnish government’s proposed reduction of nearly €8 million in national film funding has sparked an important discussion about the future of Finland’s cultural and creative industries. The film sector is not only a source of artistic expression, but also a driver of employment, entrepreneurship, innovation, and local vitality across the country.

15/9/2025

SF Studios and REinvent International Sales announce the psychological thriller Doctor Glas

SF Studios and REinvent International Sales announce the psychological thriller Doctor Glas, a modern adaptation of Hjalmar Söderberg’s novel of the same name. The film stars Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Isac Calmroth and Christian Fandango. Triangledrama produces the film together with Unlimited Stories, producer behind this year's Swedish Oscar Submission Eagles of the Republic. SF Studios distributes the film in the Nordics with REinvent handling international sales.

09/9/2025

SF Studios produces SkyShowtime drama The Trio

Production has officially begun in Sweden on SF Studios production The Trio, a new six-part SkyShowtime Original series based on Johanna Hedman’s bestselling novel. The drama stars August Wittgenstein (The Crown), Felix Sandman (Sommartider), Seth Manteus (Cherries) and Rebecka Harper, and is directed by Anders Hazelius from a screenplay by Veronica Zacco.

29/8/2025

SF Studios wins four awards at the Danish Svend Awards

Yesterday, the Danish Svend awards announced the winners of 2024/25 during a gala ceremony and our production and distribution titles received a total of four awards: Best Danish Youth Picture (Pretty Young Love/Smukkere), Breakthrough of the Year (Karoline Hamm in Pretty Young Love/SMUKKERE), Best Foreign Language Film (It Ends With Us) and Jury’s Special Prize (Zinnini Elkington for Second Victims/Det Andet Offer).

27/8/2025

Tarik Saleh’s Eagles of the Republic selected as Sweden’s International Oscar Submission

Today the Swedish Film Institute’s Oscar Committee revealed that Eagles of the Republic by Tarik Saleh is Sweden’s Submission for an Oscar for Best International Feature Film. The 98th Academy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on March 15, 2026.