Rajalla (In The Borderland)

In the summer of 2021, the municipality of Parikkala is preparing for the opening of an international border crossing to Russia. For the small border town, the project holds great economic significance. However, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine in 2022 changes the future outlook overnight: the border does not open. Instead, it closes completely, and by 2023, it becomes the longest NATO border with Russia.

The local newspaper's journalist, local entrepreneurs, municipal board members, border authorities, and other residents are forced to face both an uncertain future and the weight of history resurfacing from the past.

Rajalla is a film about hope for a better tomorrow, but also about the fears and feelings of insecurity that geopolitical tensions and a new Cold War era awaken in all of us—and about how life goes on despite them.

Production: Koko Production Oy (2025).