Metsolat

The idea for the Metsolat series originated when director and screenwriter Carl Mesterton complained to Yle executive Risto Volanen after a television production course about the difficulties of getting young screenwriters, directors, and producers to work together in a group. Mesterton half-jokingly suggested they create a series about a farming family from Kainuu. Politically aligned with the Centre Party, Volanen was enthusiastic about the idea and encouraged Mesterton to write the series himself. Volanen also approached the head of Yle TV2, and according to Mesterton, "the series was approved immediately." Another Centre Party-aligned executive, Tapio Siikala, ensured that the expensive, long-term production received funding.^[6]

To produce Metsolat, Mesterton had to resign from Yleisradio and establish his own company at age 60 because Yle refused to facilitate an internal transfer from its Swedish-language division in Helsinki to Yle TV2 in Tampere. However, the series' success ultimately worked in Mesterton's favor, as he received full compensation for his work as both writer and director, as well as royalties from all future releases of the series.^[7]

The fictional municipality of Hoikka was modeled after Puolanka. Mesterton and his team interviewed locals, observed life on farms, and learned about practical details such as milk transportation and bus services. Puolanka's municipal manager described the area's challenging employment situation and its impact on residents. Puolanka also inspired the family of Antti and Annikki Metsola. Mesterton recalled a local elder showcasing photos of his five children, which became a significant influence on the series. Mesterton's background in legal studies and citizens' legal issues informed the detailed portrayal of topics like property transactions, inheritances, and business foundations.^[8]

Mesterton co-wrote the first season's 21 episodes with Curt Ulfstedt. For the second and third seasons and the special Christmas of Memories episode, Mesterton invited actress Miisa Lindén (who played Riitta Vanhanen) and his wife Anna-Lisa Mesterton to join the writing team. Lindén described the writing process as democratic, with Mesterton being patient with her as a less experienced writer. The team spent long periods together discussing the characters and plot arcs, after which they wrote independently and shared drafts via floppy disks. They collaboratively revised the scripts, resulting in a seamless final product where individual contributions were indistinguishable.^[9]

Director-screenwriter Carl Mesterton and producer-production manager Raimo Mikkola were key figures in the production process. Mikkola, with 25 years of experience, was instrumental in selecting filming locations. Mesterton regarded him as Finland's best production manager and location scout. The series was produced over five years, with filming beginning in January 1991 and concluding in June 1995. The production involved 278 filming days, 1,724 scenes, 71 actors, 730 amateur performers and extras, 32.5 hours of finished episodes, and 166 hours of footage. Each 50-minute episode required approximately four hours of raw material. The production team adopted American production planning systems, meticulously scheduling scenes to 15-minute intervals.^[6]

Most filming locations were near Tampere, particularly in Mouhijärvi, with only two days of on-location shooting in Kainuu during the first season.^[8] The production team took care to depict Kainuu authentically, using props and daily items to reflect the region. For example, the Leppävaara farmhouse was filmed on a property in Mouhijärvi, while its grandmother's cottage was a dismantled house reassembled on set.^[10]

The Soini farm in Mouhijärvi, discovered by Mikkola through local contacts, became the Kaukovaaran farmstead, where all its interior and exterior scenes were shot. Other locations included Suodenniemi Church for Hoikka Church and Sappee Ski Resort for the Urjanlinna ski center.^[6] Additional scenes were filmed in Kainuu locations such as Sotkamo (Naapurinvaara) and Ristijärvi (Saukkovaara).^[6]

Metsolat at IMDb