Partially shot in Turku, the new arctic thriller series “Icebreaker” has won the prestigious MipDrama Coup de Coeur award at Cannes. “Icebreaker” is an original series by Elisa Viihde and stars Jessica Grabowsky. The filming in Turku lasted for two weeks.
Set in the Gulf of Bothnia, “Icebreaker” tells the story of coast guard Sanna Tanner (Grabowsky), who investigates the mystery of a stranded icebreaker as the crew members begin to disappear one by one. The series, which contains supernatural elements, is set in the heart of winter when the dead are closest to the living. “Icebreaker” is part of the Nordic noir genre but also revitalizes it with elements of horror. What is the crew hiding, and what lies beneath the sea ice?
The series was created by Mia Ylönen (“Code Name: Annika”) and directed by Pete Riski (“Bullets”). It is produced by Helsinki-filmi. “At the core of the series, however, is love that transcends the boundary between life and death,” Ylönen describes in a press release published on ePressi.
In April, “Icebreaker” won the prestigious MipDrama Coup de Coeur award at Cannes. The award is presented annually at the industry’s largest trade event. According to the American magazine Variety, “Icebreaker” is one of the most anticipated new series for 2025. The creation of the series’ highly suspenseful events and atmosphere is aided by new virtual techniques.
“We are truly delighted about the Coup de Coeur award for Elisa Viihde’s original series ‘Icebreaker’ – congratulations to Helsinki-filmi and the entire team behind the series! This exciting mystery thriller will be available for viewing in 2025 on the Ruutu streaming service,” says Ani Korpela, Chief Content Officer at Elisa, in a press release.
The West Finland Film Commission assisted in finding the ship that serves as the setting for the series: “It was important for the production that the story is set specifically on an icebreaker, not just any cruise ship or vessel. It was a pleasure to find a suitable ship for their filming from Turku”, says Teija Raninen, Film Commissioner of the West Finland Film Commission. As the series was filmed in Turku, it involved skilled professionals both in front of and behind the camera.
In addition to Grabowsky, the series stars actors such as Mikko Leppilampi, Seidi Haarla, Roderick Kabanga, Johannes Holopainen, Eero Milonoff, Riitta Havukainen, Karim Rapatti, and Mona Kortelampi. In addition to Turku, filming took place in Oulu and Raahe.