– The Cannes-awarded filmmaker from Finland is preparing his first Danish-language feature, led by Magnus Millang and Paprika Steen in a tale of underwater treasure hunting inspired by real events
l-r: Ellen Kihri, Paprika Steen, Magnus Millang and Juho Kuosmanen on the set of En Ægte Drømmer (© JP Passi)
Finnish filmmaker Juho Kuosmanen has unveiled the cast of his upcoming feature En Ægte Drømmer (lit. “A Real Dreamer”), a tragicomic adventure inspired by true events that marks his first film set primarily in Denmark.
The story follows Rasmus, a 43-year-old commercial diver from the town of Grenå who earns a modest living cleaning sewers but has always harboured the spirit of an adventurer. When he hears about an old shipwreck off the Finnish coast, he sees the opportunity of a lifetime. Inside the wreck lie thousands of untouched bottles of champagne, the world’s most valuable and best-preserved vintage, and a treasure worth millions. The discovery gives Rasmus hope that he can finally leave the past behind, and create the future he has always dreamed of for himself and his daughter. A true adventure begins.
Two of Denmark’s best-known actors lead the cast. Magnus Millang, known for his appearances in The Commune and the Oscar-winning Another Round, as well as the series Families Like Ours, takes on the lead role of Rasmus, while the multi-award-winning Paprika Steen, with a career spanning over three decades and who is known for Tove’s Room and Superclasico, stars as Mikaela. They are joined by newcomer Ellen Kihri as Cecilie and Ragnhild Kaasgaard (Miss Viborg) as Elisabeth in key supporting roles.
The project marks Kuosmanen’s third feature after the internationally acclaimed The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki and Compartment No. 6, both of which premiered at Cannes, winning the Un Certain Regard Award and the Grand Prix, respectively. Kuosmanen also penned the screenplay, continuing his exploration of bittersweet characters caught between everyday realities and larger-than-life aspirations.
Commenting on the project, the director said: “The sea has always held a special attraction for me. Ever since I started making films, I have dreamed of finding a story that takes place in the mysterious world beneath the ocean’s surface. The film is inspired by real events, but we have allowed ourselves to move away from the historical facts and instead work with the tragicomic tone that also characterises my previous films. We have found some fantastic actors from Denmark, and I am very much looking forward to working with them. Large parts of the story take place in Jutland, where the rugged coastlines, harbours and fishing boats provide the ideal setting for an adventure film about a diver from a small fishing community who dreams of a life beyond the ordinary.”
The shoot is scheduled to begin later this year and will take place across North-West Jutland, East Jutland and Djursland, including locations in Grenå, Femmøller, Randers, Thyborøn, Hanstholm and Agger, before continuing in Finland and France.
En Ægte Drømmer is being produced by Katrin Pors for Denmark’s Snowglobe. The project is backed by the Danish Film Institute, the West Danish Film Fund, the Finnish Film Foundation, Business Finland, the Nordisk Film & TV Fond, the German Federal Film Board, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, DR, YLE, WDR, ARTE, SVT and Creative Europe – MEDIA. The Danish distribution will be handled by Scanbox Entertainment, and the film is expected to reach Danish cinemas in 2027.
