Milka: A Film About Taboos (1980): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1980, Milka: A Film About Taboos is a drama film directed by Rauni Mollberg, running about 110 minutes.

What it’s about. Based on a novel by the late Finnish writer Timo Mukka, this simple story focuses on what happens when Milka (Irma Huntus), a girl barely out of childhood, gets pregnant by Ojanen (Matti Turunen) a rustic fieldhand. Her own mother had been hoping to marry Ojanen, and her daughter's pregnancy turns their lives around. Set in the Lapp country of northern Finland, the scenery is breathtaking, made even more so by the isolation of the region. A sense of natural solitude is underscored by a slow-moving dialogue interspersed with long silences, and the connection between nature and the dialogue is underscored as the young Milka recites poetry while out in the countryside. The fate of Milka and her mother, however, is connected to the decision that Ojanen makes at the end.

Who’s in it. Milka: A Film About Taboos stars Irma Huntus as Milka Sierkkiniemi, Leena Suomu as Anna Sierkkiniemi, Matti Turunen as Ojanen and Eikka Lehtonen as Cantor Malmström, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.0/10, Milka: A Film About Taboos has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Milka: A Film About Taboos page.

If you liked it. Fans of Milka: A Film About Taboos tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.