Team behind '100 Liters Of Gold' discusses creating Finnish dark comedy - Contenders International

Director Teemu Nikki returns to his native village of Sysmi to tell the story of two sisters renowned for their potent homemade ale, sahti. When another sister requests 100 liters for her wedding, the siblings willingly agreebut end up drinking the batch themselves. Facing massive hangovers with the wedding looming, they scramble to brew a replacement.

With 100 Liters of Gold, Nikki represents Finland once again for the International Feature category at the Oscars, having previously submitted 2017s Euthanizer. Between these projects, he gained recognition with the Venice Audience Award-winning The Blind Man Who Did Not Want to See Titanic.

Originally, Nikki imagined the story centered on two brothers, but he abandoned that concept after finding it too predictable. After witnessing the chemistry of actresses Elina Knihtil and Pirjo Lonka on stage, he reshaped the story around two sisters. It was like a dream come true for me, he explained.

Knihtil shared her connection to the tradition of sahti, recalling that although her own family didnt brew it, her grandmother knew the craft. She remembered a childhood village party where the ale caused quite a stir. Lonka, on the other hand, had never tasted sahti before filming. This was all new to me, she said.

Regarding method acting, Knihtil admitted she isnt particularly fond of sahti, noting that tasting it sparingly was sufficient. Lonka described the ale as very challenging, emphasizing its complexity. Nikki joked that disliking sahti is almost worse than an Irish person disliking Guinness.

Nikki highlighted that while the film is personal, he aimed to go beyond a typical drinking comedy. I wanted to showcase sahti and my hometown, but the story is deeper. It starts humorously, yet eventually, you realize its not just funit carries weight, he said.

Author: Noah Whitman