Talvisota — Finland
The 1989 Finnish epic follows ordinary soldiers defending the Karelian Isthmus during the Winter War — Finland's desperate 105-day defence against the Soviet Union's overwhelming invasion force.
The Winter War began 30 November 1939 when the Soviet Union invaded Finland with 450,000 troops. Finland's 300,000 defenders held for 105 days, inflicting catastrophic Soviet losses — estimates suggest over 125,000 Soviet dead. Finland ceded 11% of its territory in the March 1940 Moscow Peace Treaty but preserved its independence. Talvisota remains the most expensive Finnish film ever made.