The Emperor’s Secret makes animation history as the first CGI movie from Finland. Made for €825,000 the film features characters from the popular weekly animation television series The Autocrats. All images © Helsinki-Fi

The first ever CGI movie to come out of Finland made its theatrical debut on Sept. 8, 2006. The Emperor’s Secret initially opens only on Finnish screens although further distribution deals are under discussion.

The film was made on a total budget of €825,000 by Helsinki-filmi — part of the Filmiteollisuus Grooup — with additional animation from Anima Vitae. Production began in September of last year, featuring characters from the company’s popular weekly animation television series The Autocrats.

“The dream of a feature animation has been lodged in our brain long before the first episode of The Autocrats ever ran on TV,” says director Riina Hyytiä.

“Making movies, they often say, is teamwork. In animation productions, you can easily quadruple that and the results will soon be seen in movie theaters. The Emperor’s Secret will be everything I ever dared to dream of — a family animation adventure, where the political aspects and inspirations, computer animation and rules of TV series are in the background because of the fun of storytelling.

The story tells of an Emperor who sends his troops to confiscate a village’s much-loved Ferris wheel. He sends a two-headed turkey to drive the villagers to a desert island when they resist.

“The visual world, from the Emperor’s city on top of the high cliffs to the small village surrounded by green hills, places the story in imaginary scenery. It is a good place to start our adventure. And most importantly — the actors have really come a long way and can really be proud of their work.

“The Emperor’s Secret has a large heart, but it doesn’t lecture. It tells about important things, but we laugh along the way. I wanted to make a movie that I could enjoy with my children. Our secret, long in the planning and making, will soon be there for everyone to see.”

The story tells what happens when the Emperor sends his troops to confiscate a village’s much-loved Ferris wheel. He sends a two-headed turkey to drive the villagers to a desert island when they resist. Paavo the Chief then has to lead his people back home to safety and fight against the evil Emperor.

“I wanted to be on the team in making a movie that would be a clear-cut, fast-paced adventure,” says Aleksi Bardy, producer, writer and managing director of Helsinki-filmi.