Best of The Fests

EUTHANIZER
ARMOMURHAAJA

• Director: Teemu Nikki
• FINLAND / 2017 / DCP / Colour / 85´ / Finnish; Turkish, English s.t.

• Screenplay: Teemu Nikki
• Director of Photography: Sari Aaltonen
• Editing: Teemu Nikki
• Music: Timo Kaukolampi, Tuomo Puranen (KXP)
• Cast: Matti Onnismaa, Jari Virman, Hannamaija Nikander, Pihla Penttinen, Heikki Nousiainen
• Producer: Jani Pösö, Marja Pihlaja, Teemu Nikki
• Production Co.: It's Alive Films
• World Sales: Wide

Veijo, an anti-social, downright psychotic animal lover, makes a living euthanising ill or old pets at the request of their owners in a colourless, bleak forest village in Finland. When his love for animals exceeds the compassion he feels for fellow human beings and he meets a beautiful nurse, Veijo finally crosses the line. With its sharp black humour borrowed from B-movies, Euthanizer, which stands somewhere between Dirty Harry and John Carpenter films– a clear inspiration in terms of mood and aesthetics–is both funny and disturbing. The third feature from self-taught director Teemu Nikki, who grew up in a pig farm surrounded by VHS tapes, premiered at Toronto Film Festival.

This film was a Meetings on the Bridge participant.