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NTRNZ media launches international war documentary series with four Nordic broadcasting companies

”Untold Arctic Wars” is a series about the least known battles of World War II

Award-winning production house NTRNZ media has started the production of a new, six-part documentary series about battles in the Arctic areas during the second World War. Distribution rights have already been sold to Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Filming begins in summer 2020 and takes place in Finland and Europe, as well as North America.

The battles in the Arctic areas have never been covered on this scale. The general public has not known about the impact they had on world history. I also think it’s important to remind people about the most violent war in human history so that history will never repeat itself.

Executive producer Teemu Hostikka

The series is written by the renowned Finnish war author Mika Kulju and respected Swedish war historian, Lars Gyllenhaal. Both have written several books about battles in the northern areas. The series is narrated by actor Peter Franzén.

World War Two was more Arctic than most people are aware of. The Arctic is getting more and more important, not least because of climate change. Thus the amazing operations that took place up here are both exciting and important to learn about.

Lars Gyllenhaal

Several battlefields in the Arctic areas have remained almost untouched. The series gives new, international perspectives to the battles that took place in Finland – such as the Raate road battle – and gives the viewer an opportunity to travel through time, into history.

Mika Kulju

The ambitious documentary series has already evoked international attention. In Finland, the series is broadcasted by the Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle.

This is a very significant project. In addition to high-quality drama series, international streaming services are investing in documentary series. To respond to this challenge we need series with many different partners and investors. This one is backed by all the broadcasting companies in the Nordics, except Iceland. The quality must, of course, be high, and NTRNZ has already proven its ability to produce international quality. 

Ari Ylä-Anttila,  Commissioner, Yle

The production is expected to be completed at the end of 2021.

NTRNZ media is a creative house specialised in content production and marketing. One of our core values is respect for pure Northern nature. NTRNZ media is best known for the tv series Eränkävijät (Love of the Wild), as well as being the marketing partner of many Northern Finnish tourism operators and known brands, such as the Oulun Kärpät Hockey Team and the biggest rock festival in northern Finland, Qstock. 

Mika Kulju is an expert in Northern Finland’s war history. He has written 25 nonfiction books, 10 of which deal with northern war history. His latest book about the Winter war in Lapland (Kaksintaistelu lumessa – Lapin talvisota 1939) was published by Gummerus in 2019.

Lars Gyllenhaal is a Swedish author who writes about military history and in particular, about Swedish involvement in the wars of the 20th century. 

Press photos

More information:

Teemu Hostikka
NTRNZ media Oy
+358 45 639 8664

Ari Ylä-Anttila
Yle
+358 40 5034549

The Many Faces of European Nature: Award-winning TV format introduces six nature lovers across the continent

Love of the Wild – From the Alps to the Arctic follows the lives of a Norwegian heavy metal Viking, a young Austrian falconer, a mountain guide in the Italian Alps, a Russian gamekeeper, and a Finnish fishing guide couple.

A mountain guide working in altitudes that make your heart skip a beat. The relationship of a hunting falcon and his human. The lonely gamekeeper in Russia taking care of his animals – both wild and domestic. A fishing guide couple finding their way through the arctic wilderness with no roads. A heavy metal Viking tamed by the greatness of nature.

The new series by NTRNZ Media, the creators of the multiple-award-winning Finnish TV format Eränkävijät (Love of the Wild) presents people from different corners of Europe, living next to the most amazing natural sites. They are different in many ways but have a shared passion: nature. For all of them, pure and healthy nature is a necessity, for their livelihood, profession and wellbeing. The series follows the main characters’ days from dusk till dawn and through all four seasons in the amazing landscapes of Italy, Norway, Russian Karelia, Austria and Finland.

When nature is your home: Meet Stefano, Doris, Viktor, Morgan, Aki, Emilia and Äijä

The Alps are the home of mountain guide Stefano Percino from Val d’Ayas, Italy. Watching his everyday life and work in the Monte Rosa takes the viewer’s breath away – in 4000 metres life is sometimes hanging by a thread.

Doris Hiebeler from St. Leonhard, Austria has been working with her closest companions since she was 4 years old. She is a falconer, and in her game, the key is not high-tech equipment but cooperation with an intelligent, sensitive fellow species whose trust and acceptance must be earned. 

Viktor Iljin from Vidliza, Karelia opens a door to a different kind of Russia. The retired mechanic, lawyer and police chief lives by the great Lake Ladoga with his dogs. As gamekeeper, Viktor travels long distances alone in the wilderness, looking for poachers and keeping an eye on the game populations.

In Norway, we meet Morgan Vikne from Børve. He talks and wears heavy metal, but needs nature to calm down. He takes the viewer in the fjords on his fishing boat and in the highlands on horseback. Behind his jokes and big talk, Morgan is worried about the youth losing their connection to nature.

Aki Huhtanen, Emilia Laitinen and Äijä the dog from the original Finnish series take us to the hidden villages in northernmost Lapland, where no roads lead. The fishing waters are untouched, and so is the hustle and bustle of modern society.

The original highly successful Finnish format Eränkävijät is a two-time winner of the Finnish Television Academy’s Golden Venla award and is a finalist again in the 2019 awards. The first 3 seasons of the original series have been sold to over 30 countries. Season 4 just finished airing on Finnish TV.

– Transforming the format into an international series was a giant scaling effort in every aspect. To our surprise, we quickly noticed that despite the fact that they live thousands of kilometres apart in different cultures, our main characters share the same values and concerns for the wellbeing of Earth, our common home planet.

Showrunner, screenwriter and producer Teemu Hostikka

International, award-winning production team

The production team comprises renown international cinematography professionals, with expertise in shooting in demanding mountain conditions, alongside the award-winning Finnish team behind the original series. 

Guido Perrini is known as the director and cinematographer of renowned freeskiing movies La Liste (Red Bull media house), Degrees North with Xavier De La Rue and Deeper by Jeremy Jones.  Tero Repo is one of the most successful Finnish mountain skiing/snowboarding photographers who currently lives in Switzerland. Repo has worked with Perrini in Degrees North and La Liste, and also for brands like The North Face, Swatch, Mammut, BBC, National Geographic and Red Bull.

Love of the Wild – From the Alps to the Arctic is distributed by NordicWorld, the leading Scandinavian distributor of tv rights, through which tv content produced in Scandinavia is distributed worldwide. The first season airs on Finnish TV on December 29th.

Contact:

Teemu Hostikka
+358 45 639 8664
NTRNZ media

Press photos

NTRNZ media is a creative house specialised in content production and marketing. One of our core values is respect for pure Northern nature. NTRNZ media is best known for the tv series Eränkävijät (Love of the Wild), as well as being the marketing partner of many known brands and Northern Finnish companies, such as Visit Kalajoki, Oulun Kärpät Hockey Team and Qstock festival. 

Eränkävijät (Love of the Wild) seasons 1-3 have been sold to 30 countries already. The series is the first nature program and the first series produced in Northern Finland awarded with the Finnish TV academy’s Golden Venla award: Best TV show 2017 and Best Performer 2018. 

NordicWorld is the leading Nordic distributor of tv rights, through which tv content produced in Scandinavia is distributed worldwide.

NTRNZ media Ltd to co-produce new series with NRK

Isfront is a story about arctic ice hockey, warm friendship and cold international politics

Award-winning creative house NTRNZ media Ltd from northern Finland joins Norwegian Broadcasting Company NRK’s ”Isfront” series as the Finnish Co-Producer. The documentary series will be shot in Norway, Russia and Finland and it follows the players in the Barents Hockey League (BHL) throughout season 2019-2020, from November to April.

The series is based on a concept by Kristian Sonvisen Bye from NRK region north, and is produced by Eilif Bremer Landsend. It follows adult hockey amateurs from Norway, Russia and Finland fighting against all odds to uphold the ice hockey league and a warm friendship despite a cold political climate.

– The ambition is to make an innovative and entertaining feelgood documentary, but also give insight into the daily life in this border-region. Especially how common people handle the tension caused by international politics, tells Kristian Sonvise Bye.

Isfront in Finland

Isfront will also be seen on Finnish television, broadcasted by YLE. NTRNZ media Ltd is responsible for all the production in Finland as well as filming in tournaments. The series will have a cinematic look while it also creates a strong bond with the main characters from three different countries.

– We are glad we were asked to join this production. Our long experience in ice hockey as well as producing documentary lifestyle series in demanding conditions comes into play with this project, says Teemu Hostikka, the founder and showrunner of NTRNZ media.

In Finland the main goal is to show how the unique hockey team Tuki-Kepit from Ivalo shovels its way through the tournaments, driving thousands of kilometres along the arctic roads to meet their opponents. The importance of the game and humour between team members helps them overcome most of the obstacles thrown in their way.

For more information, contact:

Teemu Hostikka
+358 45 639 8664
NTRNZ media Ltd

Eilif Bremer Landsend
+47 922 24 573
Producer/NRK

Photos

NTRNZ media is a creative house specialised in content production and marketing. One of our core values is respect for pure Northern nature. NTRNZ media is best known for the TV series Eränkävijät (Love of the Wild), as well as being the marketing partner of many known brands and Northern Finnish companies, such as Visit Kalajoki, Oulun Kärpät Hockey Team and Qstock. 

NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation) is the Norwegian government-owned public broadcasting company and the largest media organisation in Norway. NRK broadcasts three national TV channels and three national radio channels on digital terrestrial television, digital terrestrial radio and subscription television. NRK is a founding member of the European Broadcasting Union.