Bavaria Partners with Finnish Outfit for Crime Movies

MUNICH/HELSINKI/CANNES: Bavaria Media has signed an agreement with Finland’s Solar Films to handle distribution of the Vares crime movies.

Bavaria will represent the films in all markets except Scandinavia (where distribution is handled by Nordisk Film.) The films are based on the novels by Reijo Mäki, focusing on a hard-drinking playboy private investigator. The six 90-minute films star Antti Reini in the title role. They were produced for MTV3 Finland. The first, The Kiss of Evil, premiered theatrically in January.

“We are very happy about this unique co-operation with Bavaria in selling Vares to worldwide audiences,” said Markus Selin, producer and chairman of the board of Solar Films. "This will certainly be continued with other movies in the future."

Philipp Kreuzer, VP of international and co-production at Bavaria Media, added: “We are very happy about this collaboration with Solar Films and to have this exceptional crime movie cycle as a highlight in our catalogue. We are sure it will excite our buyers just as much as it has excited the Finnish audiences.”