Finnish Horror-Comedy Red Snow Brings a Bloodthirsty Vampire Santa to Christmas
The Finnish horror-comedy Red Snow is gearing up to bring a darkly funny twist to the festive season. Written and directed by Ilja Rautsi, best known for penning the acclaimed horror film Hatching, this marks his feature directorial debut. The movie blends horror and absurd humor in a Christmas setting that’s anything but merry.
According to Screen Daily, the story centers on a 16-year-old girl who dreams of meeting a glamorous vampire prince. Instead, on Christmas Eve, she encounters a balding, beer-bellied, 49-year-old vampire dressed as Santa Claus. This grotesque bloodsucker breaks into homes and devours entire families, turning her fantasies into a gory nightmare.
The film stars Hannu-Pekka Björkman, a Jussi Award-winning actor, alongside Anni Iikkanen, a rising Finnish talent. Together, they lead a cast that promises to deliver a sharp mix of dark humor, horror, and offbeat emotion.
Behind the scenes, Red Snow is a Nordic co-production between Finland’s Bufo, Estonia’s Allfilm, and Sweden’s Hobab, with support from the Finnish Film Foundation. Bufo, known for producing art-house hits like Fallen Leaves, is returning to its genre roots with this bloody Christmas comedy. The movie is currently in production in Tallinn, Estonia, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
On the distribution front, B-Plan Distribution will handle the Finnish release, while Paris-based Charades is in charge of international sales, launching the project at the American Film Market (AFM). The film also received 2 million Norwegian kroner (NOK) in production support from the Nordisk Film & TV Fond in late 2024.
The fund described Red Snow as “a Christmas horror comedy about a lonely goth girl, Johanna (16), who yearns to find a sparkling vampire prince — only to get more than she bargained for in a forever middle-aged, fat vampire, Martti, who moonlights as Santa for sustenance.” The film promises a “meatgrinder of love, hatred, and sexual politics,” as the pair face each other’s hypocrisies amid fountains of blood.
This movie continues Rautsi’s fascination with twisted takes on social dynamics and genre conventions. His 2018 short film Helsinki Mansplaining Massacre screened at over 100 film festivals and won more than a dozen awards, cementing his reputation for combining satire and horror in bold ways.
As Nordisk Film & TV Fond notes, Bufo’s decision to back Red Snow signals a growing appetite for Nordic genre films that mix smart commentary with outrageous premises. With a team experienced in both arthouse cinema and commercial genre storytelling, Red Snow is shaping up to be a unique addition to Finland’s expanding horror scene.
While no exact release date has been confirmed, production updates and AFM buzz suggest the film could surface on the festival circuit before a wider release. For now, one thing’s certain: Red Snow won’t be your average Christmas movie—it’s a blood-soaked holiday horror with a wicked sense of humor.
