Letters to Father Jacob

{{More citations needed|date=October 2010}}

{{Infobox film

| name = Letters to Father Jacob

| image = PPJ_juliste.jpg

| alt =

| caption = Theatrical release poster

| director = Klaus Härö

| producer = Risto Salomaa
Lasse Saarinen

| screenplay = Klaus Härö

| story = Jaana Makkonen

| starring = {{interlanguage link|Kaarina Hazard|fi|Kaarina Hazard}}
Heikki Nousiainen

| music = Dani Strömbäck

| cinematography = Tuomo Hutri

| editing = Samu Heikkilä

| studio =

| distributor = FilmSharks International

| released = {{Film date|2009|01|29|Sweden|2009|04|03|Finland|df=y}}

| runtime = 76 minutes

| country = Finland

| language = Finnish

| budget = 525 402 €

| gross =

}}

Letters to Father Jacob ({{langx|fi|Postia pappi Jaakobille}}) is a 2009 Finnish drama film written and directed by Klaus Härö.{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldmovies.net/?page=movie&movie=2293|title = Worldmovies.net}} Set in the early 1970s and based on a story by Jaana Makkonen, the film tells the story of Leila, a pardoned convict, who becomes an assistant to a blind priest, Jacob. The film depicts her transformation from a sceptic who grudgingly reads letters aloud to her benefactor into a caring savior of the pastor from his despair after the letters stop coming.Lasse Saarinen, [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1364487/synopsis Synopsis], imdb.com. Retrieved 2010-10-08.

In 2022, the film was chosen as the "most touching Finnish film of the 21st century" in the Helsingin Sanomat readers' vote.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/art-2000008875665.html|title=2000-luvun koskettavin leffa: Suomen koskettavimman elokuvan kirjoitti ihminen, joka ei ollut käsikirjoittanut aiemmin mitään – eikä hänestä ole kuultu alalla sen jälkeenkään|work=Helsingin Sanomat|date=2022-07-25|access-date=2022-07-28|language=fi}}

Locations

Exteriors were filmed at St. Olaf's Church in Sastamala, Finland (Pyhän Olavin kirkko). The interiors were filmed at Holy Cross Church in Hattula (Pyhän Ristin kirkko).

Accolades

Nordic Film Days, Lübeck, Germany, 4.–8.11.2009

Interfilm Church Prize

Audience Award

58th International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg, Germany, 5.–15.11.2009

Main Award

33rd Cairo International Film Festival, Egypt, 10.–20.11.2009

The Golden Pyramid for the Best Film

The Prize for the Best Screenwriter (Klaus Härö)

Black Nights Film Festival, Tallinn, Estonia, 27.11.-6.12.2009

Jury Prize for the Best Director

28th Fajr International Film Festival, Iran, 1.–11.2.2010

Crystal Simorgh Prize for the Best Film in the Competition of Quest for Truth & Justice

33rd Göteborg International Film Festival, Sweden, 29.1.–8.2.2010

Nordic Film Music Prize (composer Dan Strömbäck)

Santa Barbara International Film Festival, USA, 4.–14.2.2010

The Best International Film Award

Festival du Cinéma Nordique, Rouen, France, 10.–21.3.2010

Best Actress Award (Kaarina Hazard)

Best Actor Award (Heikki Nousiainen)

Audience Award

Cape Winelands Film Festival, South Africa, 17.–27.3.2010

Special Mention Award (actor Heikki Nousiainen)

Hong Kong International Film Festival, 21.3.–11.4.2010

SIGNIS Commendation

RiverRun International Film Festival, NC, USA, 15.–25.4.2010

BB&T Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature

Festroia, Portugal, 4.–13.6.2010

Prize Man and His Environment

Festival de Cine de Huesca, Spain, 4.–12.6.2010

Audience Award

References

{{reflist}}