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Finland’s long-running soap opera Salatut elämät brings its 5,000th episode to cinemas

From Helsingin Sanomat · () Finnish

Translated from Finnish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources New plan
  • Finnish television series Salatut elämät will mark its 5,000th episode on Sept. 24 with special screenings at Finnkino cinemas.
  • The event will combine episodes 4,998 through 5,000 into a 90-minute presentation, with the main event at Helsinki’s Tennispalatsi.
  • The series has run since 1999 and has built a loyal audience across age groups by combining everyday storylines with dramatic plot twists and difficult social topics.

Finland’s long-running soap opera Salatut elämät is taking its 5,000th episode to the big screen. On Sept. 24, Finnkino cinemas across the country will hold simultaneous special screenings of the milestone episode and the two before it.

Many people have had time to grow up with the series.

· Seija-Liisa EskolaThe executive producer described the show’s long relationship with its audience.

The event is not a film. Episodes 4,998 to 5,000 have been assembled into a 90-minute presentation. Helsinki’s Tennispalatsi will host the centerpiece, with all 10 screens reserved for the show’s audience. Cast members will attend, and the Tennispalatsi event will be streamed to cinemas elsewhere in Finland.

Tickets went on sale in August, and demand has been strong. Screenings in Tampere and Jyväskylä have already sold out, while many other cities have only a few tickets left. Executive producer Seija-Liisa Eskola of Fremantle said the series has “a truly loyal fan base” spread fairly evenly across age groups.

Salatut elämät has a truly loyal fan base, spread fairly evenly across different age groups.

· Seija-Liisa EskolaShe explained the strong ticket demand for the 5,000th-episode screenings.

Salatut elämät began in January 1999 and has continued for nearly 27 years, despite originally being planned for only 540 episodes. Many viewers have grown up with the show, which has become part of their daily routines. Media and television studies docent Pauliina Tuomi said its appeal comes from the combination of ordinary life and even implausible twists, allowing audiences to escape into fiction.

The impossibility of the plots is part of the appeal.

· Pauliina TuomiThe television and media studies docent described why viewers remain engaged with the soap opera.

The series has also addressed subjects including consent, gender identity and young people’s sexuality. Eskola said the show does not present these topics as lessons, but handles them in a relaxed way for viewers at different stages of life. Tuomi said the entertainment format can make difficult issues easier to approach through fiction.

Through entertainment, it is possible to address issues that affect many people and that can otherwise be difficult to face.

· Pauliina TuomiShe said fiction can make challenging social subjects easier for audiences to process.
About this summary

Originally published by Helsingin Sanomat in Finnish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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