The Winter War
Talvisota
“They held back the Russian Juggernaut in a frozen Hell!”
Synopsis
After Nazi Germany invades Poland in September 1939, Russia attacks Finland two months later. Finnish reservists leave home and go to war. Brothers Martti and Paavo Hakala, farmers from the municipality of Kauhava in the province of Pohjanmaa/Ostrobothnia, serve in a Finnish platoon.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Winter War (Talvisota, 1989) Finnish 4K Restoration Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2025-04-27
Top Cast
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Taneli Mäkelä
Martti Hakala
Vesa Vierikko
Jussi Kantola
Timo Torikka
Pentti Saari
Heikki Paavilainen
Vilho Erkkilä
Antti Raivio
Erkki Somppi
Esko Kovero
Juho Pernaa
Martti Suosalo
Arvi Huhtala
Markku Huhtamo
Aatos Laitila
Matti Onnismaa
Veikko Korpela
Konsta Mäkelä
Paavo Hakala
Tomi Salmela
Matti Ylinen
Samuli Edelmann
Mauri Haapasalo
Vesa Mäkelä
Yrjö Haavisto
Aarno Sulkanen
Sihvo
Kari Kihlström
Jorma Potila
Esko Salminen
Matti Laurila
Kari Sorvali
Hannu Jutila
Ari-Kyösti Seppo
Ahti Saari
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 30, 1989
Wide Cinema Exhibition
November 6, 2015
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$4.4M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
Pending
Total global ticket sales
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Pekka Parikka
- Screenplay & Story
- Antti Tuuri, Pekka Parikka
- Original Score
- Jukka Haavisto, Juha Tikka
- Original Title
- Talvisota
- Country of Origin
- Finland
- Spoken Languages
- Finnish
- Runtime
- 3h 9m
- Production Budget
- $4.4M
- Production Studios
- National-Filmi
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Pekka Parikka
Antti Tuuri, Pekka Parikka
Jukka Haavisto, Juha Tikka
Kari Sohlberg
Keijo Virtanen
Marko Röhr
Department Leadership Roster
Pekka Parikka
Director
Antti Tuuri
Screenplay
Marko Röhr
Producer
Keijo Virtanen
Editor
Pertti Hilkamo
Production Design
Tuula Hilkamo
Costume Design
Kari Sohlberg
Director of Photography
Pekka Parikka
Screenplay
Juha Tikka
Original Music Composer
Aldo Tammsaar
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Winter War.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Winter War.
War: World War II
Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists
Movies - Live Action
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1989
1989
Cult Classics
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Winter War
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Winter War about?
After Nazi Germany invades Poland in September 1939, Russia attacks Finland two months later. Finnish reservists leave home and go to war. Brothers Martti and Paavo Hakala, farmers from the municipality of Kauhava in the province of Pohjanmaa/Ostrobothnia, serve in a Finnish platoon.
Who directed The Winter War?
The Winter War was directed by Pekka Parikka.
Who stars in The Winter War?
The principal cast of The Winter War includes Taneli Mäkelä, Vesa Vierikko, Timo Torikka, Heikki Paavilainen, Antti Raivio.
When was The Winter War released and how long is it?
The Winter War was released in 1989 with a total runtime of 3h 9m.
Who composed the musical score for The Winter War?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Winter War was composed by Jukka Haavisto, Juha Tikka.
Is The Winter War based on a book or true story?
The Winter War is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Antti Tuuri".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Winter War?
The Winter War holds official age classifications: DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.).