Psychological suspense drama “Lex Julia” has unveiled its international cast.
The film stars Sweden’s Christian Hillborg (“The Last Kingdom,” “Fleabag,” “Young Royals”) and Finland’s Jessica Grabowsky (“Tom of Finland,” “Where Once We Walked,” “Icebreaker”). Estonian actor Rea Lest, known for “The Manslayer/The Virgin/The Shadow” and Rainer Sarnet’s “November,” takes on the titular role of Julia.
Laura Hyppönen’s film sees a perfect island holiday spiraling out of control when Julia, a music producer in her early 30s, travels to her new friend Anna’s isolated villa. When Anna introduces her husband JP, Julia instantly recognizes him from her past.
“It’s a story of a rape survivor meeting her date rapist years after their previous encounter. It explores the dilemmas and differing perceptions of both the victim and the alleged perpetrator, also including the view of the third party – the wife of the alleged rapist,” explained Hyppönen.
Inspired by personal experience “which took years to distill into a character-driven fiction film,” the Finnish director wanted to “dig deep into the subject of acquaintance rape without moralizing or sensationalizing.”
Hyppönen’s second feature – following “Live East Die Young,” set in London’s East End’s party scene – was partly shot on a remote private island in the Nordic archipelago.
“The film is written as a slow-burning, character-driven suspense drama. The setting adds tension to the story,” she noted, commenting on the “raw, primitive quality” of the footage obtained this way.
“Much of my filmography has been created in a very DIY setting. This sense of restriction is quite apparent in ‘Lex Julia,’ where I chose a single location and only three actors. I love the claustrophobia this kind of limitation creates.”
Hyppönen opened up about her leads.
“For Julia, I wanted to find an actor that could convey strength and vulnerability while also bringing dark humor and unpredictability to the role. For Anna, I looked for someone who could play with lightness and sophistication, but also show a darker undercurrent beneath the surface.” For JP, it was all about “warmth and charm that can flip into coldness and cruelty.”
She was also “looking for an ensemble”: “A trio that would play together, supporting and challenging each other and be willing to explore the darker aspects of the material. I feel very lucky this is exactly what I found in Rea, Jessica and Christian.”
Produced by Merja Ritola and Essi Haukkamaa-Judge for Finland’s Greenlit Productions – also at work on “Northern Lights,” recently spotlighted at the Finnish Film Affair – “Lex Julia” is co-produced by Magdalena Zimecka and Marta Krzeptowska for Studio Produkcyjne Orka (Poland), Marianne Ostrat for Alexandra Film (Estonia) and Daniel Lägersten for GötaFilm in collaboration with Gila Bergqvist Ulfung for Breidablick (Sweden).
From the very beginning, Hyppönen saw it as a “Nordic film for an international audience.”
“I started writing when I was still living in London, but I always imagined it set in the stark and primal Nordic landscape, with its specific light and a social setting that prides itself on gender equality. I wanted to question how deep this Nordic brand of equality actually goes,” she said.
“I love films that use genre elements to engage an audience, but do so intelligently enough to explore something real – and shine some light onto the blind spots we all have.”
“Film is a very powerful medium and I try to use it to move people. In the case of ‘Lex Julia,’ my goal is to both seduce and to disturb the audience out of their comfort zone.”
While faced with cultural cuts in Finland, Hyppönen isn’t losing her faith just yet.
“Smaller and more experimental films have always been risky endeavors and these tend to be the first ones to be cut when the going gets tough. At the same time, it would seem like a good business idea to continue supporting projects with a riskier profile to ensure diversity and innovation in storytelling.”
“I believe humans have a deep, innate need to share their stories and experiences, no matter what. If public funding doesn’t support more experimental voices, these voices may be buried underground for a while, only to emerge stronger and more confrontational,” she said.
“Our prospects may be bleak, but I like to think restrictions and collective rage can create a momentum for change. And change is what we need.”
