The married couple Karo and Risto go on a holiday in Northern Finland to give themselves time to fix their stressful marriage. However, on their way home, they get into a car accident and are subsequently forced to stay at the only accommodation in the area; the luxurious Hotel Arctic Mirage. Once inside, they find that the hotel has a rather strange atmosphere, and it starts to have a peculiar effect on them. Karo begins to doubt her own memories and tries her best to escape the snowbound hotel holiday village whereas Risto starts to feel strange and refuses to leave. Will their relationship survive the next six days?

Arctic Mirage (Rajamaa, Otava 2020) has won the prestigious Helsingin Sanomat Literature prize for the best debut novel of 2020. The novel has become a bestseller in Finland and the book rights have been sold to Germany and Estonia. The author behind the successful book is Terhi Kokkonen who is also a vocalist known from the bands Scandinavian Music Group and Ultra Bra. The award-winning author Terhi Kokkonen is repped by Elina Ahlback Literary Agency.

 “I’m really happy that Rajamaa is going to be a film! It’s nice for a writer that one’s work is adapted into a film, but what makes this project special is that the visionary and talented Pihla Viitala has been chosen as the director,” commented Terhi Kokkonen.

“Arctic Mirage is a strong-spirited, psychological novel about people in exceptional circumstances. It keeps the reader gripped and provides chills on every page. We are excited to turn this thrilling novel into a film together with Elokuvayhtiö Komeetta with talented Pihla Viitala directing”, said Yaba Holst, Head of Nordic Acquisition at SF Studios.

“I’m more than happy for this opportunity to direct a film adaptation about this extraordinary book written by a great author Terhi Kokkonen. The character driven story takes us into a unique world, where the border between sanity and insanity is unclear and time seems to disappear,” added Pihla Viitala, director.