| The Unknown Soldier | |
|---|---|
A DVD cover for The Unknown Soldier. |
|
| Directed by | Edvin Laine |
| Produced by | T. J. Särkkä |
| Written by | Juha Nevalainen, Väinö Linna |
| Starring | Kosti Klemelä, Heikki Savolainen, Reino Tolvanen |
| Distributed by | Suomen Filmiteollisuus |
| Release date(s) | December 1955 |
| Running time | 2 h 49 min |
| Country | Finland |
| Language | Finnish |
The Unknown Soldier (Finnish: Tuntematon sotilas) is a Finnish film directed by Edvin Laine and premiered in December 1955. It is based on The Unknown Soldier, a novel by Väinö Linna. The story is about the Continuation War between Finland and the Soviet Union as told from the viewpoint of ordinary Finnish soldiers. The film was and remains the most successful movie ever in Finland; about 2.8 million people, or more than half the Finnish population, saw it in theaters. Its portrayal of Linna's characters is widely accepted as canonical. In 1985 Rauni Mollberg directed a new version of the film.
Since 2000 YLE TV2 has broadcast the film every year on the Independence Day of Finland.