In Finnish cinema, Christmas has traditionally meant warm family stories. Red Snow (Punaista lunta) turns that on its head: it is a bloody horror comedy in which Santa Claus is a vampire. The film is the directorial debut of Ilja Rautsi, who also wrote it. It opens in Finnish cinemas on Friday 20 November 2026.
What is Red Snow about?
According to the synopsis published by production company Bufo, the protagonist is a 16-year-old emo girl. The Finnish Film Foundation's film catalogue names her as Johanna. She dreams of a sparkling vampire romance, but reality turns out differently. Instead she meets Martti, a balding, 49-year-old bloodsucker who dresses up as Santa Claus to get into people's homes and devour entire families. On Christmas Eve, the young woman is caught in the middle of a violent nightmare.
According to the production company, the film deals with the toxic masculinity of an ageing man, family trauma and a Christmas bloodbath. The description says a lot about the film's tone. The vampire romance of teen culture – the sparkling vampires of the Twilight books and films – collides with a clumsy, unattractive and dangerous middle-aged man. The vampire is thus not a romantic fantasy but a disturbing metaphor.
Cast
The film's cast is among the best Finnish cinema has to offer: Hannu-Pekka Björkman, Anni Iikkanen, Tommi Korpela, Krista Kosonen, Kari Hietalahti, Jussi Vatanen, Eeva Litmanen, Otava Rossi and Marja-Liisa Nguyen.
Hannu-Pekka Björkman is one of Finland's most respected actors, known from both theatre and film. Tommi Korpela, Krista Kosonen and Jussi Vatanen are among the most familiar faces of Finnish cinema. Official role assignments had not been published at the time of writing.
Filmmakers and production
Red Snow is a Finnish-Estonian-Swedish co-production. It was produced by Misha Jaari and Mark Lwoff (Bufo), with Estonia's Allfilm and Sweden's Hobab as co-producers. The film was shot in Estonia.
The crew includes many experienced professionals:
- Cinematography: Kerttu Hakkarainen F.S.C.
- Production design: Tiiu-Ann Pello
- Costume design: Jaanus Vahtra
- Special make-up: Salla Yli-Luopa
- Editing: Eric Bäckström
- Sound design: Karri Niinivaara
- Music: Hans Appelqvist
International sales are handled by the French company Charades. The presence of a special make-up artist suggests that practical effects play a central role. That matters in a genre where blood and transformations are best done physically rather than on a computer.
World premiere at Fantastic Fest
Red Snow had its world premiere in September 2026 at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, in the festival's horror competition. Fantastic Fest is one of the world's most important genre film festivals, and getting into its competition is a significant achievement for a Finnish debut feature. The horror site Bloody Disgusting has also reported that the film has found a home at the horror streaming service Shudder. Internationally the film is sold under its English title Red Snow, so look for that name in festival and international film listings.
Age rating and screenings
KAVI has rated the film K16 in Finland because it contains violence. The running time is about an hour and a half. The film is distributed in Finland by B-Plan Distribution. It is aimed at fans of horror and black humour, not at family Christmas viewing.
Analysis: a new wave of Finnish genre cinema?
The Finnish site Muropaketti grouped this autumn's Christmas horror films into one story and noted that Santa this year is both a vampire and a killer of bad guys. Red Snow arrives at the same time as Violent Night 2, and together they form a counterculture of their own this holiday season.
Finnish horror has had a difficult history: the genre has rarely succeeded in domestic cinemas. In the 2020s the situation has changed. Hanna Bergholm's Hatching (Pahanhautoja, 2022) received wide international attention, and Bergholm's Yön lapsi, released this autumn, was made as an international co-production. Red Snow brings a new tone, black comedy, and at the same time takes on Santa Claus, a figure dear to Finns and one Finland markets as its own.
The Fantastic Fest selection and a strong domestic cast give the film a good starting point. If it finds its audience, Red Snow could earn a permanent place in horror fans' Christmas calendars.
If you liked these, watch Red Snow
- Rare Exports (2010) – Jalmari Helander's internationally known Finnish Santa horror.
- What We Do in the Shadows (2014) – a vampire comedy that laughs at the mundanity of the vampire myth in the same way.
- Violent Night (2022) – American Santa action, whose sequel arrives in cinemas a couple of weeks later.
- Hatching (2022) – Finnish horror with a similar mix of family dynamics and horror.
Our expectations
We expect a bold and funny genre film that also laughs at Finnish Christmas traditions. The premise of Ilja Rautsi's screenplay, in which teenage vampire romance collides with middle-aged reality, is clever, and the domestic star cast raises expectations. The risk for a debut is rhythm, as horror comedy demands a precise balance between fear and laughter. The Fantastic Fest selection shows, however, that experts in the field have seen potential in the film. It is worth seeing in a cinema with an audience, because horror comedy works best with shared laughter and screams. Release week coincides with The Hunger Games, so keep a close eye on screening times for this smaller domestic film: screenings of horror films often shrink quickly to make way for big releases.
Frequently asked questions
When is Red Snow released in Finland?
It opens in Finnish cinemas on Friday 20 November 2026. The film is distributed in Finland by B-Plan Distribution.
Who directed the film?
The film was written and directed by Ilja Rautsi. It is his debut feature.
Is Red Snow a Christmas film for children?
No. The film is rated K16 in Finland because it contains violence.
Where has the film been shown before?
The world premiere was at Fantastic Fest in Austin in September 2026.
This text is based on information published by the film's distributors, production companies and film media. Assessments and interpretations are our own and are not based on seeing the finished film unless stated otherwise.
