Major battle scenes for Simo Häyhä biopic to be filmed in Kainuu

The Kainuu Regional Council has awarded €50,000 in funding to support production of Häyhä – The White Death, a fictionalised war drama depicting the life of Finnish sniper Simo Häyhä during the 1939–40 Winter War, state broadcaster Yle reports.

The grant, drawn from the region’s future fund, will underwrite the film’s most demanding sequences, with nearly half of the total shoot taking place in Kainuu. Producers Blankface Oy plan to utilise local accommodation, logistics, and services while showcasing the area as a reliable, snow-secure filming location.

Director Toni Kurkimäki has described the project as an exploration of “the man behind the myth,” focusing on Häyhä’s burden as he defended his homeland. Principal photography is set across three eastern Finnish regions, with Kainuu hosting the largest-scale scenes.