Antti J. Jokinen’s drama starring Laura Birn as famous painter Helene Schjerfbeck is set to open in Sweden this summer.

Jokinen’s drama set in 1915 has been a smash success in Finland where more than 177,000 cinemagoers have watched it since its January 17 release via Nordisk Film, making it the second biggest local film of 2020.

The film tells of prominent Finnish painter Helene Schjerfbeck and her passionate love affair with the young Einar Reuter, that makes her grow as an artist. “We can't imagine an artist's story more interesting and timelier than the one of Helene Schjerfbeck, and are very happy to line up a Swedish premiere for this summer,” said NonStop Entertainment managing director Jakob Abrahamsson.

Helene will be NonStop’s second release of a Finnish biopic after Dome Karukoski’s Tom of Finland.

Picture Tree handles world sales on the film produced by Jokinen’s Cinematic.