The Home of Dark Butterflies produced by Solar Films, is nominated in ten categories, including Best Film, Best Direction, Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Pertti Sveholm) and Best Cinematography (Pini Hellstedt). Karukoski's second feature film has two radically different opponents in the Best Film category: the animation film and Christmas hit Niko & The Way to the Stars, and the documentary film Recipes for Disaster.
Niko is also running for Best Direction (shared by Michael Hegner and Kari Juusonen) and Best Script, a ‘coup' for producer Hannu Tuomainen (Cinemaker) who co-wrote the original story with Marteinn Thorisson. Recipes for Disaster by John Webster has two other chances to win for Best Documentary Film (against Daughters of Palna and Shadow of the Holy Book) and Best Script.
AJ Annila's horror film Sauna produced by Bronson Club, is the surprising second most nominated film, with mentions in all technical and artistic categories, plus Best Actor (Ville Virtanen) and Best Supporting Actor (Tommi Eronen).
Tommi Korpela, winner last year of a Jussi for Best Actor in A Man's Job, will try to double his win this year for his role as famous novelist Lauri Viita in Falling Angels. The film directed by Heikki Kujanpää and produced by Blind Spot has four Jussi nominations in total.
Nordisk Film & TV Fond which has backed the three films running for Best Film, plus the documentary Shadow of the Holy Book, has 17 Jussi nominations in total.
The Jussi awards organised by the association of Finnish film professionals Filmiaura, will be handed out on February 1 in Helsinki.