Trauma, drama, emotion and suspense are among the ingredients that make for a visceral mix in Lex Julia, the new feature film from Finnish writer and director Laura Hyppönen (Charlie, Live East Die Young), which is set on an isolated island and explores such themes as memory and truth.
World premiering on Nov. 13 at Estonia’s 30th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF), where it screens in the Baltic Film Competition, the film is also booked for the 41st Mar del Plata International Film Festival in Argentina in the same month. The psychological suspense drama stars Rea Lest (The Manslayer, The Virgin, The Shadow, November), Christian Hillborg (The Last Kingdom, Fleabag, Young Royals) and Jessica Grabowsky (Tom of Finland, Where Once We Walked, Icebreaker, Raptures).
“Lex Julia is a post-#MeToo story about a rape survivor who unexpectedly encounters the man from her past years after their previous encounter,” explains Hyppönen. “Set in the pressure-cooker environment of an isolated island, the film explores the conflicting experiences of the victim, the alleged perpetrator and his wife.”
All sorts of questions come up: Was it a one-night stand or rape? Is she a victim or a coward?
The filmmaker shares that the story “is inspired by a personal experience that took years to distill into a character-driven suspense narrative. I wanted to play with the expectations of the rape-revenge genre: the possibility of violence is constantly present, but the characters find surprising ways to deal with the tension. The film asks whether it is possible to shift deeply held, often unconscious views about sexual violence. Who bears the shame, responsibility and consequences?”
Things start off calmly in Lex Julia. When Julia, a music producer in her early 30s, visits her new friend Anna at an island villa, it looks to be a relaxing weekend. But when Anna’s husband JP appears, Julia recognizes him from her past, and old wounds resurface. Hidden truths rear their ugly head, making for an increasingly tense triangle interaction.
The co-production between Finland, Poland, Estonia and Sweden, set for a theatrical release in Finland via StoryHill in January, features cinematography by Malte Rosenfeld (Close, The Full Monty) and editing by Agata Cierniak (Never Gonna Snow Again, Infinite Storm). Baltic Crime is handling international sales.
The movie from Greenlit Productions was co-produced by Orka Film, Alexandra Film, GötaFilm and Breidablick Film. The producers on Lex Julia are Merja Ritola, Essi Haukkamaa-Judge, Marianne Ostrat, Marta Krzeptowska, Magdalena Zimecka, Gila Bergqvist Ulfung, Paul Blomgren and Daniel Lägersten.
“Since this project’s inception, we recognized that Lex Julia addresses a poignant, contemporary reality: the intricate nature of trauma and the challenging pursuit of truth amidst fractured memories,” said producer Ritola. “Laura Hyppönen has delivered a visceral, emotionally layered cinematic experience that avoids simplistic conclusions while maintaining the gripping tension of an elevated suspense drama.”
Baltic Crime CEO Maarit Mäeveer said: “Lex Julia has an outstanding international cast, a compelling emotional storyline and the perfect suspense factor that keeps audiences guessing about the shared past of these three characters.”
She added: “The timing of the film also feels especially relevant in the current cultural environment, where there is an increasing need to openly discuss abusive behavior, manipulation and gendered violence. Lex Julia explores themes that feel increasingly urgent today.”
If you can’t wait to get a sneak peek at Lex Julia, THR can exclusively premiere the trailer for the film below. Prepare for emotion, some skin, swearing, darkness, a primal scream and lightning. After all, a storm is coming. And watch out for the words “me too” and an explanation for the film’s title – ancient Roman legislation on sexual violence. Here’s the exclusive trailer.