“Mobile 101, a Nokia Story,” a series about the dramatic rise and fall of the Finnish phone company, has been acquired by Disney+ and Walter Presents in multiple territories. The series was produced by Finland’s Rabbit Films and is represented in international markets by the outfit.
The six-part series, which sheds light on how a small Finnish company specializing in rubber boots became the world’s biggest mobile manufacturer at the turn of the 21st century, has been picked by Disney+ Italy, Netherlands and Belgium. Walter Presents, meanwhile, bought it for the UK & Ireland. RUV Iceland has also acquired season one of the series.
“Mobile 101” was originally commissioned by Finnish broadcaster MTV3 Finland and streamer CMore for Sweden, Denmark and Norway. It premiered in 2022 to both critical and commercial acclaim.
Directed and written by Maarit Lalli, the series zooms in on how Nokia switched from rubber boots to mobiles in the 1990s and is told through the perspectives of the lawyers, engineers and executive management.
“We are extremely happy announce this first round of international sales of ‘Mobile 101,’ and to bring this quintessentially Finnish story to audiences outside of the Nordics,” said Jonathan Tuovinen, head of international at Rabbit Films. “We all grew up with a Nokia mobile phone, so this unique series has really resonated with buyers, and we hope that audiences around the world will be both entertained and informed by this amazing nostalgia-evoking series,” Tuovinen continued.
Over at Walter Presents, Walter Iuzzolino praised the series for being a “sharp, incisive and unmissable show infused with nostalgia and vintage pop culture.” “Sharp writing, strong performances by a brilliant ensemble cast and gorgeous direction and photography make this a delicious treat for all lovers of great subtitled drama,” added Iuzzolino. Along with “BlackBerry,” “Mobile 101” is one of the several titles looking back at the rise and fall of tech companies.
The show’s top-notch key crew includes Heather Loeffler, the Oscar-nominated set designer of “Joy,” “Carol” and “American Hustle”; the cinematographer Rauno Ronkainen (“Omerta 12/6”) and costumer Maria Sirén (“The Longest Day”).
The cast includes Sampo Sarkola (“Bordertown,” “Shadow Lines”), Kristo Salminen (“Bordertown”), Rafael Edholm (“Peacemaker”), Aku Sipola (“Secret Lives”), Satu-Tuuli Karhu (“Eden”) and Emil Kihlström. International cast members include Adam Bond (“Maleficent”), Jonathan Harboe (“Darkland”) and Carmen Gloria Pérez (“Young Royals”).