The winner of the Nordic prize (worth 350,000 Danish crowns, or about 47,000 euros) is chosen from a total of nine nominated films from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Finland, usually two per country. The jury decided to let only one film represent Finland this year, however. According to a Finnish jury member to YLE News, Miehen työ was a clear choice by itself, and a second, equally strong candidate could not be found.
This year’s winner will be announced on the 9th of October. The prize will be awarded on the 31st of October.
The Oscar nominations will be announced on the 22nd of January and the award gala will be held on the 24th of February.
The film
Miehen työ is a film about family man Juha (Tommi Korpela) who is fired from his job at a concrete factory, a fact he wants to keep secret from his wife. In order to support his family, he ends up working as a male prostitute. The script for the film was written by Salmenperä. Petri Jokiranta and Tero Kaukomaa were the producers.
The Council
The Nordic Council was formed in 1952 as a forum for parliamentary co-operation between the five nations and three autonomous regions (Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Åland) that make up the Nordic region. Besides the film prize, the Council, made up of 87 elected members from the national parliaments, also awards prizes for literature, environment and music.
Last year’s winner of the Nordic Council Film Prize was the Swedish film Zozo by Josef Fares (director and scriptwriter) and Anna Anthony (producer).
European Film Awards
Miehen Työ is also on the selection list for the European Film Awards. The nominees for the Awards, voted by the members of the European Film Academy, will be announced at the Sevilla Festival de Cine Europeo in Spain on the 3rd of November. The winners will be presented at the 20th European Film Awards ceremony in Berlin on December 1st.
Miehen työ – Official site (in Finnish)
Miehen työ / Man's Job – Blind Spot Pictures
Nordic Council Film Prize
All nominations for the Nordic Council Film Prize 2007
European Film Awards (European Film Academy)
Academy Awards (Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)
Related:
Finnish gigolo – FREE! Magazine's review of Miehen työ