Mihkel (2018)
A desperate Estonian man swallows seventy drug capsules to reach Iceland — and finds himself trapped in a nightmare he cannot escape.
Mihkel - Movie Information
- Original Title: Undir halastjörnu
- Release Year: 2018
- Directed by: Ari Alexander Ergis Magnússon
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Thriller, Drama, Crime
- Runtime: 1h 40m
- Original Language: Icelandic
- Spoken Languages: English, Estonian, Icelandic, Russian
- Release Date (Theatrical): October 11, 2018 (IS)
- Alternative Titles: Undir Halastjörnu (IS)
- Production Companies: Truenorth, Filmhuset Gruppen, Amrion
- Production Countries: Estonia, Iceland, Norway
Mihkel - Plot
Mihkel boards a ferry from his small town in Estonia to Saint Petersburg in Russia, on his way to Iceland, where he wants to make a new life for himself and his fiancée, Vera. His friend Igor, who emigrated to Iceland a few years earlier, convinces Mihkel to smuggle two bottles of liquid amphetamine and then seek payment from an Estonian priest, who is a business partner of Igor's in Saint Petersburg. The priest is then to set him up in his new home and bring Vera over to join him. Rather than getting paid, he is instead coerced into swallowing seventy drug capsules to take on to Iceland. He arrives in Iceland and is picked up by Igor and his two Icelandic accomplices, Jóhann and Bóbó. However, in the next two days it becomes clear that something is wrong and Mihkel cannot pass the drugs. The Icelandic criminals become very nervous, and more and more frantic activity ensues as the situation becomes more serious.
Mihkel - Trailer
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Mihkel - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Ari Alexander Ergis Magnússon
Main Cast
- Tómas Lemarquis
- Atli Rafn Sigurðsson
- Pääru Oja
- Kaspar Velberg
- Maiken Pius
- Braian Kulp
- Rauno Joonas Küngas
- Greete-Elena Priisalu
- Ingvar E. Sigurðsson
- Zlatko Burić
Writers
- Ari Alexander Ergis Magnússon
Producers
- Leifur B. Dagfinnsson
- Kristinn Thordarson
- Fridrik Thor Fridriksson
Mihkel - FAQs
Where can you watch Mihkel online?
Mihkel is available to rent or buy on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. Streaming availability may vary by region. You can check the most up-to-date viewing options for your country on JustWatch, which aggregates all current platforms offering the film.
Is Mihkel based on a true story?
Mihkel is not directly based on a single documented true story, but its premise draws on the real and well-documented phenomenon of drug mules — individuals coerced or recruited to smuggle narcotics inside their bodies across international borders, a practice that has been widely reported across Eastern Europe and Scandinavia.
Who are the main actors in Mihkel?
The film stars Pääru Oja as the title character Mihkel, Tómas Lemarquis as Bóbó, Atli Rafn Sigurðsson as Jóhann, Kaspar Velberg as Igor, Maiken Pius as Veera, and Ingvar E. Sigurðsson as Skúli, alongside Zlatko Burić as a Russian businessman.
What is Mihkel about?
Mihkel follows a young Estonian man who boards a ferry toward Iceland hoping to build a new life with his fiancée. Manipulated into swallowing seventy drug capsules, he arrives in Iceland only to find himself trapped in a dangerous criminal web as his body fails to pass the contraband, raising the stakes for everyone involved.
Who directed the 2018 film Mihkel?
Mihkel was directed by Ari Alexander Ergis Magnússon, an Icelandic filmmaker who also wrote the screenplay. The film is a co-production between Estonia, Iceland, and Norway, produced by companies including Truenorth, Filmhuset Gruppen, and Amrion.
What languages is Mihkel filmed in?
Mihkel is a multilingual film featuring dialogue in Icelandic, Estonian, English, and Russian. The original language of the production is Icelandic, reflecting its Icelandic creative leadership, while the Estonian and Russian dialogue grounds the story in its Eastern European setting.
How long is the movie Mihkel?
Mihkel has a runtime of 100 minutes, or 1 hour and 40 minutes. The film maintains a tense, claustrophobic pace throughout, using its compact running time to build sustained psychological pressure as the protagonist's situation grows increasingly desperate.
What genre is the film Mihkel?
Mihkel is a Thriller, Drama, and Crime film. It combines the visceral tension of a body-horror thriller with a grounded character study and crime narrative, exploring themes of desperation, exploitation, and the human cost of organized criminal networks operating across borders.
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