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Defiant

DEFIANT (UHMA) is a portrayal of Vilma, a troubled but strong-minded teenager who ends up in a child welfare institution, where she starts rebelling against the authoritarian staff and a system that fails to address her underlying emotional needs.

  • Visa Koiso-Kanttila
    Director
    Star Boys (2017)
  • Reeta Ruotsalainen
    Writer
    Bubble (2022)
  • Minna Haapkylä
    Producer
    Bubble (2022)
  • Ona Huczkowski
    Key Cast
    "Vilma"
  • Kati Outinen
    Key Cast
    "Anneli"
    The Man Without a Past (2002), Le Havre (2011), Drifting Clouds (1996)
  • Tinka Andersson
    Key Cast
    "Yasmine"
  • Emmi Parviainen
    Key Cast
    "Krisu"
    Games People Play (2020), The Eternal Road (2017)
  • Kerttu Hakkarainen
    cinematographer
    Heartbeast (2022)
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Drama, coming-of-age
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 33 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    February 28, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    1,292,900 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Finland
  • Country of Filming:
    Finland
  • Language:
    Finnish
  • Shooting Format:
    Arri Alexa 35mm
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • International premier: Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) / Just Film 2025
    Tallinn
    Estonia
    November 9, 2025
    International premier
Distribution Information
  • Does not have sales agent yet, festival distribution Finnish Film Foundation
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
Director Biography - Visa Koiso-Kanttila

Director Visa Koiso-Kanttila
DEFIANT is Visa Koiso-Kanttila’s second feature-length fiction film (Star Boys, 2017). Koiso-Kanttila is an award-winning documentary filmmaker and director of feature films, whose documentaries such as The Banished (1998), Father to Son (2004), and Portrait of a Man (2010) have gained international recognition. In his films, Koiso-Kanttila has boldly addressed themes such as the upbringing of boys, relationships between family members and generations, as well as socially excluded youth. In addition to his own directing work, Koiso-Kanttila has worked as a dramaturge, cinematographer and producer in all of the award-winning documentaries by his co-partner Iiris Härmä, including Leaving Africa (2015), Shepherds of the Earth (2022), and Mother of Snow Cranes (2024).

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

DEFIANT is based on real stories and court cases of young adults who spent their youth in child care institutions in Finland. Despite the intensity of the subject, I wanted Vilma’s story to also include hope, warmth, and love. At its core, Vilma’s story is about a child’s and young person’s need to be seen and heard, as well as to be loved and accepted as they are. A key theme is also the relationship between mother and daughter and the effort to reconnect after a broken bond. I hope that DEFIANT also sparks reflection and discussion about parenting, as well as the well-being of children and youth.