''Armi elää!'' is a 2015 Finnish drama film directed by

Jörn Donner Jörn Johan Donner (5 February 1933 – 30 January 2020) was a Finnish writer, film director, actor, producer, politician and founder of Finnish Film Archive. Biography Born into the Donner family of German descent, Jörn Donner was the son of ...

. The film is based on the life of Finnish entrepreneur

Armi Ratia Armi Maria Ratia née Airaksinen (13 July 1912 – 3 October 1979) was the co-founder of the Finnish textile and clothing company Marimekko Oy. She is among Finland's most famous female entrepreneurs. She was born in Pälkjärvi in Ladoga Kareli ...

through years 1949–1968 when she founded the textile and clothing company

Marimekko Marimekko Oyj is a Finnish textiles, clothing, and home furnishings company founded by Viljo and Armi Ratia in Helsinki in 1951. Marimekko made important contributions to fashion in the 1960s. It is particularly noted for its brightly colored pri ...

and led it to international success. Written in a form of

metafiction Metafiction is a form of fiction which emphasises its own narrative structure in a way that continually reminds the audience that they are reading or viewing a fictional work. Metafiction is self-conscious about language, literary form, and story ...

, the film follows a theatre group preparing a play of Ratia. In March 2016 the film received two

Jussi Awards The Jussi Awards are Finland's premier film industry prizes, awarded annually to recognize the achievements of directors, actors, and writers. History The first Jussi Awards ceremony was held on 16 November 1944 at the Restaurant Adlon in Hels ...

, for screenplay by Karoliina Lindgren and scenic design by Otso Linnalaakso.

Main cast

Minna Haapkylä Minna-Maria Erika Haapkylä (born 10 June 1973 in Helsinki) is a Finnish actress. She has won two Jussi Awards; one for the best actress in a supporting role for a 1999 Veikko Aaltonen film ''Rakkaudella Maire'', and another in 2009 for the best a ...

as Armi Ratia / Maria * Hannu-Pekka Björkman as Viljo Ratia *

Laura Birn Laura Eveliina Birn (born 25 April 1981) is a Finnish film actress. Birn was born in Helsinki, Finland. She completed her master's degree from Helsinki Theatre Academy in 2008. She is most famous for her appearances in the 2003 film '' Helmiä j ...

as Leena *

Rea Mauranen Rea Mauranen (born 25 April 1949 in Helsinki, Finland) is a Finnish television actress who has appeared in several Finnish films. Mauranen made her debut on TV in 1974, and has worked consistently ever since mostly appearing on Finnish televis ...

as Kerttu

References

2015 drama films Films directed by Jörn Donner Films set in Finland Films shot in Finland Metafictional works 2015 films Finnish drama films 2010s Finnish-language films {{2010s-drama-film-stub