Top 150 Most Anticipated Foreign Films of 2020: #113. Nimby – Teemu Nikki

Nimby

Finland’s Teemu Nikki scored an international breakthrough with his sophomore film, the sardonic Euthanizer. He reteams with his producer Jani Poso for German-Finnish co-prod Nimby (Not in My Back Yard) and actress Hannamaija Nikander, who has been featured in several of Nikku’s shorts (Tits, 2014; All Inclusive, 2019) as well as his past two features, Lovemilla (2015) and Euthanizer (2017). Newcomers Susanna Pukkila and Almila Bagriacik will star in the lead roles, with other supporting cast including Elias Westerberg (The Other Side of Hope, 2017), Matti Onnismaa (of Euthanizer), Mari Rantasila, Antti Reini, Leila Abdullah and Stephan Schad. Euthanizer premiered at 2017 TIFF and was Finland’s submission for Best Foreign Language Film in 2018. Nikki’s 2019 short All Inclusive premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.

Gist: A comedy about the intolerance of tolerant people, 19-year-old Mervi travels to her hometown, a village in Finland, to introduce her parents to her girlfriend, Kata, who is of Iranian origin, and come out of the closet. However, upon arriving at her parents’ home, she finds them in the midst of an orgy with her godparents. Unfortunately, Kata’s parents and Mervi’s ex-boyfriend and his friends, a gang of Neo Nazis, also arrive at the home in question.

Release Date/Prediction: Nikki began principal photography in May, 2019 and it was showcased as part of Works in Progress in Haugesund. Nimby may be a likely candidate for Cannes 2020, where it could premiere in either Un Certain Regard or Directors’ Fortnight. If not, we anticipate TIFF 2020.