Best Finnish family movies

Christmas Story (2007)

Hundreds of years ago in Lapland, a little boy named Nikolas loses his family in an accident. The villagers decide to look after the orphaned boy together. Once a year - at Christmas - Nikolas moves to a new home. To show his gratitude, Nikolas decides to make toys for the children of the families as good-bye presents. Over the years, Nikolas's former adoptive families become many, and soon almost every house has presents on its doorstep on Christmas morning. At thirteen, Nikolas is sent to live and work with Iisakki, a grumpy old carpenter, who forbids Nikolas to continue making presents for Christmas. Gradually, however, Nikolas wins Iisakki's trust. Together they begin to look after the Christmas traditional that Nikolas has begun. When the aged Iisakki has to leave Nikolas and move away, the tradition of Christmas presents is once again at risk. Thankfully, Nikolas comes up with a solution that brings children joy every Christmas, even continuing to today.

Herra Huu – jestapa jepulis penikat sipuliks (1973)

Lonely ghost Mister Who goes around scaring orphan kids in this Finnish children's musical.

The Snow Queen (1986)

A Finnish live action adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, The Snow Queen. The tale centers on the struggle between good and evil as experienced by a little boy and girl, Kai and Kerttu.

Rollo and the Spirit of the Woods (2001)

Hairy and rowdy creatures called rolleys sail to a land inhabited by more peace-loving elves. When the rolleys arrive to the elf village, they scare the elves away and settle down in the village. One of the elves, Milli, a brave elf girl, returns to the village to make a peace with the rolleys. The rolleys do not warm to Milli's peace proposal, but she becomes friends with a rolley called Rölli. It becomes their mission to solve the conflict between the elves and the rolleys.

Jill, Joy and the Mysterious Stranger (2017)

A new orphanage opens near Jill and Joy's house, and a boy named Pekki runs away from there. Pekki ends up living in Jill and Joy's cabin and tells the girls how bleak life is in the orphanage under the strict command of the headmistress Minna Pinna.

Unna and Nuuk (2006)

11-year-old Unna travels in time to the stone age with the help of a magic drum.

Pessi and Illusia (1984)

The fairy Illusia and the goblin Pessi meet. Pessi, who has only recently become independent, is a member of the Pessimists' family. They are proud of their practical and sensible attitude to life. Illusia's father, on the other hand, is Mr Illusioni, a famous visionary living on a rainbow.

Jill and Joy's Winter (2015)

Jill and Joy (both 9) live in their own house like any other little girls, except that they might be a little happier than most little girls, as they get to live in their own house specifically designed for the two. One December evening a small car, barely the size of a shoebox, pulls up in front their house, and a teensy-weensy family gets out; it's the McTiny family. The family has become homeless after a road roller smashed their home. Planning to live with the girls temporarily, the family moves in with Jill and Joy but soon finds out that not all big people have good intentions towards them. Jill and Joy's Winter is based on a beloved book by the same name, written by a Finnish writer named Marjatta Kurenniemi.

Sihja - The Rebel Fairy (2021)

Sihja is a young, charming and a little outrageous fairy who leaves her home in the forest. On arrival in the city, she meets a sensitive new friend, a lonely human boy Alfred. Sihja loves the newly found organized urban shapes and orderly habits that the city people have. One day dead birds appear on the city streets. Alfred and Sihja must find out what is threatening the nature.

Prinsessa Ruusunen (1949)

Iris (2011)

A hauntingly beautiful and unusual coming-of-age tale. Set in 1890, Iris's artist mother leaves Stockholm for the summer and sends her 9-year old daughter to stay with an uncle in the Finnish archipelago. The girl learns to play with other children and discovers the joys of friendship in the remote Åland Islands.

Kuningas jolla ei ollut sydäntä (1982)

The King Without a Heart is a fairytale about of a happy king who has a young daughter and a lovely wife. After the sudden death of his wife, the king becomes so sad that he wants his heart taken out of his chest. The kingdom is turned into an effective society based on reason, and there is no longer place for emotions. When she grows up, the princess tries to make her father see the importance of play and emotions.

Valo (2005)

Rölli – hirmuisia kertomuksia (1991)

Trollforest is in grave danger, so Rölli the Troll must unite with a Forest Fairy to save their home.

Tingles (2007)

Five-year-old Sara has a very special gift. She can fly. When her mother discovers this she promptly takes Sara to the hospital. The doctors poke, prod and probe as doctors invariably do, and it's no fun at all for young Sara. No one understands her. The thing is that she can only fly when she's so happy that it tingles in her tummy.

Rosa Was Here (1994)

One morning, Rosa and her friends awake to find that all people over the age of 13 have disappeared. Rosa is due to turn 13 in a few days, and she and her friends spend their last days riotously.

Villahousupakko (1977)

Timo Antero Kuusisto has been sick at home for a few days, and he must go back to school. His dad forces him to wear woollen panties.

Jill and Joy (2014)

When two best friends Jill and Joy find a huge sum of money on the street on the first day of the summer holiday, they decide to buy a house from the mysterious Mrs. Rosebud. It’s a real dream house: measured and equipped exactly for two little seven-year-old girls’ requirements. Based on a beloved children’s book, Jill and Joy is a story of a dream summer without parents or boundaries. Anything can and will happen as reality and fantasy magically intertwine.

Super Furball (2018)

Emilia is a suburban kid. She goes to school, lives with her Mom and sometimes her Dad, and her life couldn’t be more ordinary. But one day Emilia’s pet hamster bites her finger. Emilia gets a secret superpower to transform into Super Furball, who can fly and solve problems with her superpowers. At the same time, the herrings in the nearby Baltic Sea bay are screaming for help because of poisoned water. As the Super Furball, Emilia takes it upon herself to fix the situation and finds ways to be more courageous in her own life.

Star Boys (2017)

Through the eyes of two 12-year-old boys, the sexual revolution arrives in a conservative and religious small town in Northern Finland.

Kadonnut: Joulupukki (2014)

Four children have received an invitation to meet Santa Claus. They end up in a mystical Christmasland, where they find out that Santa Claus has disappeared! Will the children manage to find Santa in time and will Christmas be saved?

Stormheart (2008)

The father of a Finnish family brings home a cute puppy, Stormheart. No one in the family knows anything about the dog. Little by little, the mystery of Stormheart unravels and the dog's new owners learn more about him. They find out that Stormheart's parents had served as guard dogs at the Berlin Wall. Pearl, the 7-year-old daughter of the Finnish family, takes the puppy under her wing and Stormheart, who grows up to the size of a bear, undertakes the task of removing all dangers, threats and obstacles from the path of Pearl.

Ricky Rapper and the Miser from Seville (2015)

Ricky Rapper gets a letter from a distant relative who's looking for an heir.

Ricky Rapper and the Strongman (2019)

Ricky and Nelly decide to take part in arm wrestling competition during their summer holiday.

Arnold Cautious and the Happiness Stone (2023)

Julius, who devours comic books and vampire stories, has a lively imagination. Julius meets Arnold Cautious, who lives in an abandoned house on the outskirts of town and introduces himself as a degenerated, strawberry juice-drinking vampire. Julius and Cautious become friends. Together they try to make the Lucky Stone, the recipe for which is in Cautious' grandmother's secret recipe book. Julius wants to give the stone to his estranged parents so they can rediscover their common happiness. Julius and Arnold's laboratory attempts to make the Lucky Stone falter badly time and time again, but they stubbornly pursue their quest for happiness.

Pony and Birdboy (2018)

Pony and Birdboy tells a story of seven-year-old girl Pony, who doesn’t want to go to school, and big-mouthed Birdboy who has solution to all possible problems. Humoristic family-film Pony and Birdboy is partly based on Veera Salmi’s popular children’s book The Book of Pony and Birdboy, which rich humor and anarchist hustle have brought the book as a favorite of children.

Jill and Joy (2014)

When two best friends Jill and Joy find a huge sum of money on the street on the first day of the summer holiday, they decide to buy a house from the mysterious Mrs. Rosebud. It’s a real dream house: measured and equipped exactly for two little seven-year-old girls’ requirements. Based on a beloved children’s book, Jill and Joy is a story of a dream summer without parents or boundaries. Anything can and will happen as reality and fantasy magically intertwine.

Ricky Rapper and the Bicycle Thief (2010)

Summer vacation has just begun. In honor of it, Serena Rapper and Lennart Lindberg decide to go on holiday. Ricky gets a new bicycle as a consolation, but it disappears mysteriously. Ricky and Nelly Noodlehead go looking for it which turns into a thrilling adventure.

Kumma juttu (1989)

A group of kids goes on an adventure to help their scientist friend.

Taikapeli (1984)

A child acquires a magical video game that he uses to influence the world around him.