The Squirrel (Finnish: Orava) is a 2026 science fiction comedy-drama film written and directed by Markus Lehmusruusu. It is a co-production between Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. Set in a near future where nature and animal life have almost entirely vanished, the film follows Pasi (Miro Lopperi), a designer of synthetic pets, after he discovers what appears to be the last living squirrel on Earth. His attempt to protect the animal brings him into conflict with Emilia (Mimosa Willamo), a welfare official assigned to the case.
The film premiered in Finnish cinemas on 2 April 2026. It had its international premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, on 20 September 2026. It was also selected as the Finnish entry for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards.
Contents
Cast
Miro Lopperi as Pasi
Mimosa Willamo as Emilia
Hannu-Pekka Björkman
Eero Ritala
Pirjo Heikkilä
Roderick Kabanga
Ella Mettänen
Pirjo Lonka
Plot
In a future in which nature and animals have vanished from daily life, Pasi designs robotic pets for a living. When he encounters what looks like a living squirrel near his home, he reports the sighting to the authorities, since an unregulated animal falls under the welfare system's jurisdiction. Emilia is sent in to investigate. As the case unfolds, an attraction develops between her and Pasi.
Production
Lehmusruusu developed the idea for the film and brought it to TorinoFilmLab's ScriptLab programme, where it was selected in 2018. The film was produced by Misha Jaari and Mark Lwoff for Bufo, with Pallas Film of Germany, Volya Films of the Netherlands and Zentropa Sweden as co-production partners. The production used trained live squirrels rather than relying solely on animatronics or visual effects.
Release
The Squirrel opened in Finnish theatres on 2 April 2026. It had its international premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, on 20 September 2026.
Reception
The Squirrel received positive reviews from Finnish critics. Karjalainen awarded the film five stars, while Helsingin Sanomat, Film-O-Holic, Kulttuuritoimitus and Kajastus each awarded it four stars. Svenska Yle's Silja Sahlgren-Fodstad praised the film's combination of seriousness and humour, as well as its exploration of the relationship between humans and nature. Episodi.fi's Jouni Vikman also praised the film, regarding it as an inventive and playful work of science fiction. At the Midnight Sun Film Festival, Kaisu Tervonen praised the film's world-building and combination of satire, dystopian elements and romance.