Ulla Heikkilä on ‘Summer is Crazy’ with ‘Fallen Leaves’ Star Jussi Vatanen

Finnish director Ulla Heikkilä chose the “best actors she could think of” for sophomore feature “Summer is Crazy,” featuring “Fallen Leaves” star Jussi Vatanen, Aamu Milonoff (“Girl Picture”), Jani Volanen (“Hatching”), Pirjo Lonka and Bruno Baer (“Light Light Light”). 

“They brought their general ‘bestness’. It’s simply a luxury to work with such intelligent, skillful and charismatic actors. They are all very good at showing human condition in a bold and ‘naked’ manner,” she told Variety. 

In the upcoming “Summer is Crazy,” set in the Finnish archipelago during the Midsummer week, one family – as well as their friends and lovers – deal with disappointments and dream of a better tomorrow. 

After the bankruptcy of their fine-dining restaurant, the Eerolas are stuck in a seaside village. In the shadow of the father’s depression, both the mother and the teenaged daughter rebel against their stagnant life – each in their own way.

“I play a man who doesn’t really know how to be a father, but he loves being a dad. If you try to be a role model to someone you don’t know at all, that creates strange, funny and tragic moments,” said Vatanen, underlining that everyone “brought their own flavor to this heartwarming but slightly manic Midsummer fiesta.” 

Prior to his work with Aki Kaurismäki, Vatanen became a household name thanks to the popular “Lapland Odyssey” franchise. 

“What’s the secret of making comedies? I don’t want to know! I would start exploiting it,” he laughed. 

“Maybe there’s some silliness in this character, and others as well, but Ulla set the tone so perfectly I didn’t consider it ‘silly.’ It felt like life itself. I really loved how she combined the perspectives of different age groups in a believable and funny way.” 

Produced by Marja Pihlaja for Tekele Productions, “Summer is Crazy” was presented at Haugesund’s New Nordic Films industry sidebar alongside Suvi West’s first fiction feature “Máttáráhká,” produced by Julia Elomäki and currently in development. 

“Tekele had three films in different categories and it has never happened before here at Haugesund,” said Elomäki, also mentioning the market screening of Jenni Toivoniemi’s “Butterflies.”  

The more the merrier – also according to Heikkilä, who already tackled a bigger ensemble in her debut feature “Eden.” 

“I’ve said, jokingly, that I was brought to this earth to tell multi-narrative stories. But maybe it wasn’t a joke after all! Even as a child I kept drawing pictures of big families and groups of people. I guess I’m interested in the multitude of perspectives as a way of looking at the world, both as an artist and human being. To witness the same situation, or simply look at life through different eyes, is enthralling for me,” she explained. 

Preparing for Midsummer celebrations – “the idyllic scenery provides a great contrast to these unhappy people. Also, traditions, parties and holidays tend to bring unwanted stuff to surface” – her characters have to deal with a lot. From an affair with a charismatic boss to teenage angst, loss of a lifelong dream or even a brief pop career that ended 20 years ago. 

“I love them, even though they are kind of annoying as well,” she noted, admitting that the film’s melancholy took her by surprise.   

“It’s sad sometimes and that made me really sad, too. I guess that was a challenge, at least on a personal level. Luckily, it’s also funny and hopeful, so I didn’t have to cry myself to sleep every night.”

“Summer is Crazy” will premiere in 2025.