The Unknown Soldier (2017 film)

The Unknown Soldier (Finnish: Tuntematon sotilas, Swedish: Okänd soldat) is a 2017 Finnish independent war drama film, an adaptation of the bestselling 1954 Finnish classic novel of the same name by Väinö Linna, literature considered part of the national legacy. Directed by Aku Louhimies, it is the first one based on the novel's manuscript version, Sotaromaani ("the war novel"). Previously adapted in 1955 and 1985, the World War II film is presented from the point of view of a machine gun company (Finnish: konekiväärikomppania) of the Finnish Army during the Continuation War between Finland and the Soviet Union from 1941 to 1944. It was the most expensive Finnish motion picture at its release, with a budget of €7 million.

The film opened to mixed reviews domestically on 27 October 2017, part of the official 100th anniversary of Finnish independence program, breaking the opening weekend record for a local-language film. The international premier was on 23 November 2017 at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, followed by premiers in Ireland, Sweden, Iceland and Norway. The film was described by critics as gritty, forlorn, honest and realistic as well as a pacifist piece confronting less pleasant sides of Finnish history. The film won four Jussi Awards for Best Actor (Aho), along with Best Editing, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Sound Editing, from a total of eleven nominations. With a €13.5 million domestic gross at the 2017 box office, it was the most successful film of the year in Finnish cinema.