Stormskärs Maja’s epic film set in the Aland archipelago will be a major international film

Helsinki-based Solar Films bought the film rights to Anni Blomqvist’s Stormskärs Maja series of novels from the Öland Cultural Foundation two years ago. Now the company is in the process of planning the movie. The intention is to start registration next summer.

Producer Jukka Helly, Director and Screenwriter Tina Lamy It was last week in Öland mainly to get an idea of ​​what it looks like here with us and the kinds of environments we can offer, he says Titi TurnrothÖland Film Commissioner.

I took them, among other places, to the districts of Blomqvist’s house, to the many leafy villages with old buildings, to the Jan Karlsgaarden open-air museum and above all to the “private” Maga archipelago in the northeast of Öland.

The film was produced in Swedish.

Registration site

It is still unclear where the movie will be filmed.

– I will, of course, step in and out myself so that we can bring Stormskärs Maja here. In this case, Turnroth says, it would be very painful to the soul if Maja stumbled around the rocks outside Helsinki or in Opoland.

The arguments are the same for all productions: any support money stays in Öland and stimulates the business community, the team always spends more money than they receive in subsidies, and registration activates the community during the low season and there is potential for tourism.

When Tina Lymi and Jukka Hill They came here obviously in love with the environment. The problem is that if they sign up on Öland, they will not receive Business Finland film support in the hundreds of thousands of euros. Solar Films wants to make a significant investment with professional actors, says Törnroth.

Jukka Helle realizes that the Film Commission does not have any budget of this size. The intention is to return to Hollande later this summer to discuss with senior politicians and representatives of the business community to see if there is a will to invest in the film.

Director Tina Lemmy What is your vision for the film?

– I love Maja Stormskär, she is important to me. Lamy says the movie is about a woman who lives in a time when everything is changing.

Lymi describes Maja as a brave woman.

– She also has permission from Jean in her life to be herself, and therefore must grow to her fullest potential, because she is loved for who she is. Nobody tells her to dream less.

My own interpretation

Lymi took a lot of time to write the script. I started reading Annie Blomqvist’s novel series about two years ago. Maja also became important to Lymi personally.

– I had to see myself as a woman, and with her I found something that I miss in my life. Lymi says it’s something I think many women lack in their lives.

– Maja is to me a living person. She has the love that sustains her, and there are many who don’t. Therefore, Maja can live happily and the way you want.

The film is based on Lymi’s subjective interpretation of the story, but Lymi believes she nonetheless respects Blomqvist’s novels. The inspiration for the film is Andrea Arnold’s writing of the film Emily Brontez Wuthering Heights from 2012.

Blomqvist didn’t write much about feelings, how different things felt. This is where my own interpretation comes in as I keep the spirit of Bloomqvist.

How will the movie compare to the Aki Lindman TV series?

– It will be very different compared to the TV series. Lymi says: We are using professional actors and this would be a great movie.

She realizes that a lot of money is needed to complete the movie. Representatives are also being sought.

– We already have representatives from both Sweden and Finland. It’s still too early to say if we’re using Lasse Mårtensson’s music in the movie, but maybe somehow. It depends on how the music works with the movie, Lymi says.

What do you think of the filming location?

– I saw great places when I was in Öland and visited the environment. She was perfectly captured, how could she be so beautiful?

Lymi says her visit to Aland also gave her more insight into Maja’s identity.

– I would like to shoot in Öland, but it depends entirely on the money. We’ll see where we score the movie.