Nick Frost’s horror-comedy debut "Get Away" transforms Tampere into a haunted Swedish island
The Finnish city of Tampere stands in for the Swedish archipelago in this typically offbeat feature written by and starring Nick Frost.
Cinema has long thrived on illusion – New Zealand becomes Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings, Ireland recreates 1950s New York in Brooklyn, while Canada routinely passes for the USA in box office successes like Longlegs and bingeworthy series like The Last of Us.
Now, Finland joins that tradition. In Get Away, Nick Frost’s first solo-written feature, a remote Swedish island is replicated with unnerving ease in Tampere – Finland’s third-largest city – standing in for the fictional island of Svalta.
Few viewers would guess that, although the story unfolds in the Swedish archipelago, it was brought to life far inland.
Tampere becomes Svalta – a Swedish island full of menace
The film centres on a British family’s Scandinavian break gone violently wrong. What begins as a peaceful retreat soon descends into horror when the group becomes the target of a local serial killer.
Best known for his work in Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End, Nick Frost takes centre stage in Get Away as both lead actor and writer. The idea for the film was sparked by visits to a remote Swedish island where his ex-wife’s family owns a summer home – the inspiration for the fictional Svalta.
Aisling Bea (middle) and Nick Frost (right) dive into a holiday-gone-wrong – shot entirely in and around Tampere.
Although the story was inspired by Sweden, switching the filming location to Finland ultimately fulfilled a long-standing fascination for Frost.
“Ever since watching Jim Jarmusch’s Night on Earth I’ve been fascinated with Finland,” he recalled. “When I finally got the chance to come and shoot there it didn’t disappoint. It was a dream come true for me. I’m also addicted to cinnamon buns, so there’s that.”
Alongside Nick Frost, the cast includes Aisling Bea and Sebastian Croft, with a strong Finnish ensemble featuring Eero Milonoff and Ville Virtanen.
“One thing that really stood out to me was the level of Finnish actors – really, really high standards,” said the film’s Dutch director Steffen Haars. “I was amazed by that. They’re all just very talented. Everyone was super well prepared. People knew their scripts, their scenes – we’d talk things through, and it all just flowed really naturally.”
Haars and his cinematographer, fellow Dutchman Joris Kerbosch, had worked previously with Frost, but other than that they were starting fresh in Finland – with an unfamiliar crew in an unfamiliar country.
“It’s always a bit of a risk when you go to a foreign country and work with a crew you don’t know,” Kerbosch states. “You never really know what you’re going to get. But I honestly felt spoiled – my focus puller was just really great, really on top of things. Actually, I don’t know if there’s a focus puller in the Netherlands working at that level. That’s more like international level – amazing.”
Director Steffen Haars and DoP Joris Kerbosch (pictured) found their sweet spot in Finland’s scenery and talent.
Tampere’s growing appeal for international filmmakers
Alongside local talent, the production draws on a range of scenic locations in and around Tampere, including Tammela Square, the Möljä pier in Hiedanranta, the surroundings of St. Olaf's Church in Tyrvää, and a characterful old villa in Kangasala.
Yet, Tampere isn’t just doubling for Sweden – it’s becoming a significant magnet for international productions in its own right. The city’s appeal lies in its blend of scenic variety, skilled local crews and generous support structures. Get Away received production incentives from both Business Finland and Film Tampere – the latter being the largest single award granted by the city to date.
“It was such a pleasure to shoot in Tampere, and we can’t wait for viewers to see the magic that we made there come to life on their screens,” Aram Tertzakian, co-founder of XYZ Films, told YLE.
XYZ Films, based in Los Angeles, has shot three films in Tampere in the past four years. These include Dual (2022), starring Karen Gillan and Aaron Paul, and the upcoming The Trip, an action thriller featuring Jason Segel, Samara Weaving, Timothy Olyphant, Juliette Lewis, and Paul Guilfoyle.
Tertzakian reveals that the team had explored filming Get Away in other Nordic countries, as well as Canada, New Zealand and Australia – but Tampere proved the best fit.
Director Steffen Haars (centre) was impressed by the acting chops of the Finnish locals.
“Frankly, we could have gotten a bigger production incentive from somewhere else. However, we wouldn't have gotten such a good combination of production incentive, professionals, and safety anywhere else,” he added.
A fourth Finnish production is already in development for XYZ. “Hopefully we will still make several films here,” said Tertzakian.
A city ready for its close-up
According to Fanny Heinonen, Programme Director at Film Tampere, Get Away proves that the Tampere region offers more than its locations and cash rebate.
“We are adaptive, skilled and solution-oriented, so that it's even possible to set the region to look and function like a Swedish island.”
Since 2018, Tampere has supported more than 130 productions through its audiovisual incentive scheme. As more international crews discover what the region offers, its role on the global film map is expanding fast.
Tampere offers an abundance of cinematic opportunities.
