It's Alive Films

What It's Alive Films does

It's Alive Films is a Helsinki-based independent film and television production company founded by director and writer Teemu Nikki and producer and CEO Jani Pösö. The company focuses on dark comedy and black comedy content that addresses serious subject matter, including mental health, addiction, death, and LGBTQ+ themes. Its catalogue consists of 18 short films, 8 feature films, and 4 television series, with titles including Snot and Splash (2023), Death Is a Problem For The Living (2023), 100 Litres of Gold (2025), and the TV series Dorm no. 13 (2025).

The company's business model rests on producing feature films and serial television, monetising through broadcast licensing (notably with Finnish public broadcaster YLE), international sales representation (Film Sharks and Attraction Distribution), co-productions with international partners such as All at Once, and grants from institutional funders including the EU's Creative Europe MEDIA programme. Its works are distributed through international film festivals — where it has won recognition at Sundance, Locarno, Tokyo, Jussi Awards, Golden Venla, and EBU — and through domestic theatrical release, as with the March 2025 Finnish premiere of 100 Litres of Gold. The company serves a combination of public broadcasters, international sales agents, co-production partners, festival audiences, and domestic cinema-goers, with a small 5-employee organisation executing a project-based production slate.

Name

It's Alive Films

Legal name

It's Alive Films

Website

https://itsalive.fi

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

It's Alive Films is a Helsinki-based independent production company that creates dark comedy feature films and television series on mental health, addiction, death, and LGBTQ+ themes, working with YLE, international sales agents, and EU MEDIA funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Production Services

NAICS

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Scripted Feature Film Production (Live-Action) (MPADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scripted TV Series Production (Live-Action) (MPADABAB)

Keywords

• Film production services
• Feature film production
• Short film production
• Television series production
• Independent film studio

Headquarters

HQ city

Helsinki

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Feature Film Production: Production of feature-length films (8 produced) distributed through international sales agents, film festivals, and theatrical releases.
2. TV Series Production: Production of Finnish TV series including #lovemilla and Mental/Sekasin for broadcast on Finnish networks like YLE.
3. Short Film Production: Production of short films (18 produced) that screen at international film festivals and compete for awards.
4. Co-production Partnerships: Co-production arrangements with international partners such as All at Once (Finland) and Italian co-producers for shared production costs and distribution rights.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

It's Alive Films is a Helsinki-based independent film production company that develops and produces feature films, short films, and television series. Founded by Teemu Nikki and Jani Pösö, the studio produces entertainment that blends dark comedy with serious social themes such as mental health, addiction, and youth struggles, delivering finished content to international sales agents, TV broadcasters, and film festivals.

Product overview

It's Alive Films is a Helsinki-based film production company founded by Teemu Nikki (director, writer) and Jani Pösö (producer, writer, CEO). The company operates as a single unified production studio producing three main product lines: feature films (8 produced), short films (18 produced), and TV series (4 produced). All productions are characterized as entertaining takes on deadly serious subjects, often blending dark comedy with dramatic themes. The company has received international recognition including festival selections, awards such as Jussi Awards, and support from the Creative Europe Programme - MEDIA of the European Union.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Feature Films Full-length theatrical films produced by It's Alive Films and licensed through international sales agents (Film Sharks, Attraction Distribution), with festival premieres at Locarno, Sundance, Tokyo, Rome Film Fest, and other events. Sold to broadcasters and theatrical distributors globally.
• Short Films Short-form films produced by It's Alive Films that screen at international film festivals (Sundance, Clermont-Ferrand, Locarno, Seattle, PÖFF) and compete for awards. Includes titles such as A Mate (2007), Legacy (2008), Fish Story (2011), Lovemilla-era shorts, and more recent works like Tuulikki (2022).
• TV Series Television series produced by It's Alive Films and broadcast on Finnish national broadcaster YLE. Includes #lovemilla (seasons 1-3, 2013-2014), Mental/Sekasin (2016 and subsequent seasons), Mister8 (2021), and Dorm no. 13 (2025). Multiple seasons and titles have won Kultainen Venla awards.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• All at OncecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish co-production company for 100 Litres of Gold (2025). All at Once co-produced this feature film with It's Alive Films as the main production company.
• Film SharkscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational sales agent handling distribution for Snot and Splash - The Mystery of Disappearing Holes. Film Sharks manages international sales and licensing for this production.
• Attraction DistributioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational distribution company handling sales for Death Is a Problem For The Living. Attraction Distribution manages international licensing and distribution for this film.
• YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Company)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFinnish national broadcaster YLE is a key partner for TV series productions including #lovemilla and Mental/Sekasin. YLE broadcasts these series and provides production support.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Aamu Film Company: Finnish independent film production company producing fiction features and documentaries with an auteur-driven approach; comparable in size, geography, and indie production model to It's Alive Films.
• Bufo: Helsinki-based independent production company producing Finnish feature films and dramas; directly comparable as a small Finnish indie producer with international festival exposure.
• Tasse Film: Finnish independent film production company focused on arthouse features with international festival ambitions; comparable in scale, geography, and indie production focus.
• Yellow Film & TV: Finnish production company producing feature films and TV series for domestic and international markets; comparable in business model, YLE broadcasts, and genre-mixing approach.

Broad incumbents

• SF Studios: Swedish-based film and series producer and distributor with Nordic production operations; comparable in Nordic film/TV production model but at significantly larger scale and broader portfolio.
• Nordisk Film: Leading Nordic production and distribution company producing features, series, and shorts across Scandinavia; comparable in Nordic production footprint but operates at much larger scale and across broader genres.
• Zentropa: Established Nordic film and series producer (Lars von Trier-founded) with extensive slate and European festival pedigree; comparable in auteur-driven, dark-themed Nordic production but at significantly larger scale.

Others

• Film i Väst: Swedish regional film fund and co-production partner that frequently co-produces Nordic features at international festivals; comparable as a co-production financing partner in the Nordic indie ecosystem.
• Swedish Film Institute: National film funding body supporting Swedish film production; comparable to Finland's Creative Europe MEDIA support structure affecting It's Alive Films' financing model.

Regional players

• Anagram: Independent European production company producing arthouse feature films; comparable in auteur-driven indie production approach and international festival strategy, though primarily Swedish-based.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/it's-alive-films

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about It's Alive Films