''Bodom'' (internationally ''Lake Bodom'') is a 2016 Finnish
slasher film
A slasher film is a genre of horror films involving a killer stalking and murdering a group of people, usually by use of bladed or sharp tools like knife, chainsaw, scalpel, etc. Although the term "slasher" may occasionally be used informally as a ...
directed by
Taneli Mustonen
Taneli Mustonen (born 1 January 1978)Taneli Mustonen – ''
. It is inspired by but not based on the 1960 Lake Bodom murders, telling the story of a group of Finnish friends, who decide to go camping by Lake Bodom to do a reconstruction of the 1960 murders, but something goes wrong.
''Bodom'' was invited to
Cannes
Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a communes of France, commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions I ...
for an event organized by the
Marché du Film
The ''Marché du Film'' (french for "Film Market") is one of the largest film markets in the world.Marc ...
, for which the films were chosen by a joint jury of the organizers of the event (the Cannes Film Market and the Canadian Frontières Film Event).
Plot
A group of friends, Nora, Elias, Atte and Ida, go to Lake Bodom to camp and reconstruct the 1960 murders there. Ida has been rejected at school for her nude pictures. Her fascination with Elias is because he is accused of taking the pictures.
At night at Bodom, with Ida and Atte in the tent, someone grabs them through the tent. Atte goes out, and a mysterious figure stabs him. Nora and Elias run to the scene, but too late. The dying Atte tells them to escape before the killer returns to the tent.
The trio tries to escape the car, but Nora's leg gives out, and she tells Elias and Ida to continue without her. Elias tries to explain to the angry Ida that he has never taken any nude pictures of her. At that moment, a mysterious figure stabs Elias from behind, killing him. Nora, who has plotted with Ida to kill Elias and Atte, who ruined Ida's life, is revealed as the killer. The girls put on protective clothing and throw the boys' bodies into Lake Bodom. The girls plan to escape with their car, but realize that the car keys are in Elias' pocket. Ida desperately dives into the lake to pick up the keys, and Nora can see movement in the woods near the lake.
Ida, on the car ride home, asks Nora if her nude photos really exist. Nora breaks down and reveals that she is in love with Ida, and could not bear to tell her. It is revealed that at a student party, Ida passed out from drinking, and Nora took her to bed to sleep. After that, Nora began to spread rumors of Ida’s nude pictures, which didn’t really exist. Nora lied to Ida that Elias had taken the pictures. Ida hoped Elias and Atte would die, at which point the duo began planning a boys' killing trip. Ida is shocked to hear the truth and threatens to tell everything, with Nora hitting her in the face with a wrench. Ida gets angry and attacks Nora, who is driving the car. The girls drive into the ditch.
An unknown man offers to help the girls and tow them to town. Nora asks Ida for the knife with which she killed Atte, but there is no knife. The girls realize that the man driving the car is a murderer, at which point the tow truck driven by the man begins to accelerate so that the girls' car flies to its roof. Ida is injured in the crash, and she is unable to move. Nora tries to escape, but the man's hound catches Nora.
Nora and Ida wake up in front of a campfire, bound and their lips glued shut. The man then kills Nora in front of Ida. At dawn, Ida wakes up in the yard of her own house in shock. The bodies of Nora and the boys are found and Ida is accused of the murders of her friends, and no one believes the truth told by Ida.
The case is widely reported and inspired by new campers arriving at Lake Bodom. But unbeknownst to everyone, the mysterious murderer still stalks all those who have entered the woods.
Cast
* Nelly Hirst-Gee as Ida
*
Mimosa Willamo
Mimosa Helena Willamo (born 1994) is a Finnish Jussi-awarded actress. She was born into a bilingual family in Espoo, and has performed roles in both Finnish and Swedish languages. She is known for her roles in the films ' (2014), '' Lake Bodom'' ...
as Nora
*
Mikael Gabriel
Mikael Kristian Gabriel Sohlman (born 25 February 1990), professionally known as Mikael Gabriel or MG, is a Finnish rapper. He has released six solo albums and appeared as a featured guest on songs by artists such as Cheek, Lord Est, Robin and U ...
as Elias
* Santeri Helinheimo Mäntylä as Atte
* Pirjo Lankinen as mother
* Ilkka Heiskanen as father
* Sami Eerola as hunter
* Otso Ahosola as young hunter
* Ville Saksela as teen
* Iiris Kankkunen as teen
Reception
In his review for ''
Ilta-Sanomat
''Ilta-Sanomat'' () is one of Finland's two prominent tabloid size evening newspaper and the second largest paper in the country. Its counterpart and biggest rival is ''Iltalehti''.
According to the National Media Research done in 2019 ''Ilta- ...
'', Tarmo Poussu called ''Bodom'' "the first Finnish horror film that meets the international standards". Jutta Sarhimaa from ''
Helsingin Sanomat
''Helsingin Sanomat'', abbreviated ''HS'' and colloquially known as , is the largest subscription newspaper in Finland and the Nordic countries, owned by Sanoma. Except after certain holidays, it is published daily. Its name derives from that of ...
'' gave the film four out of five stars, complimenting the young actors, visual production and dialogue.
''Bodom'' received three
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 ...
nominations for Best Picture, Female Lead (
Mimosa Willamo
Mimosa Helena Willamo (born 1994) is a Finnish Jussi-awarded actress. She was born into a bilingual family in Espoo, and has performed roles in both Finnish and Swedish languages. She is known for her roles in the films ' (2014), '' Lake Bodom'' ...
) and Sound Design; it won the sound design award. Mimosa Willamo also won the best actress award at
Screamfest
Screamfest Horror Film Festival is a horror film festival founded by film producers Rachel Belofsky and Ross Martin in August 2001. It runs over ten days during the month of October and is hosted at the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres in Los Angeles, Ca ...