Finnish film ‘Häyhä’ about The White Death sniper in the works (exclusive) | News

Finnish writer-director Toni Kurkimaki is developing Häyhä, a war drama telling the story of Finnish sniper Simo Häyhä. 

Set against the backdrop of the unbroken Kollaa frontline, the film will depict the Finnish Winter War of 1939-1940 between Finland and Russia, with tomorrow (Saturday, November 30) marking the 85^th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s invasion of Finland.

Häyhä was an accomplished sniper who reportedly killed over 500 enemy soldiers – the highest number attributed to any individual in a war – earning himself the nickname The White Death.

With a script by Kurkimaki, the film will be produced by Mikko Jokipii, Pekka Pohjoispaa and Tuukka Haapamaki for Finland’s Blankface Films. Casting is underway, with production dates scheduled for early 2026, ahead of a 2027 international release.

Tapio Saarelainen, a former Finnish Defence Forces sniper who has written several books on Häyhä, will serve as an advisor and weapons trainer on the film.

Nordisk Film holds Nordic distribution rights on the title.

Kurkimaki’s historical drama Lapua 1976, about a real-life fire at a munitions factory in Finland, was nominated for three of Finland’s national Jussi Awards, winning the Audience Favourite in Acting award for Linnea Leino.

“The myth surrounding Simo Häyhä keeps circulating in social media and many books and papers have studied his methods,” says Kurkimaki. “The aim of our film is to go deeper into Simo’s psyche, and show who he really is and what it takes to do what he does – to defend your home and loved ones by stopping the invading forces one by one, as each shot he takes makes the moral burden heavier.

“At the same time, we will show how grim the war was on the Kollaa front, one of the most legendary battlefields in Finnish history. Häyhä was put on a pedestal to lift the spirits of the forces but he never wanted this attention.”