The Cuckoo

Veikko is forcibly chained to a rock in a remote Lapland forest as punishment for being deemed a deserter. He is left with a rifle, a few supplies, and the brutal choice of enduring the cold or attempting an escape. To pressure him into fighting, the captors force him to wear a German Waffen-SS uniform.

After several failed attempts, Veikko finally frees himself from the shackles. He drags himself away from the rock and begins the long, lonely trek toward safety, still bound by part of his chains. The cold, hunger, and risk of discovery shadow every step.

Ivan is arrested by the NKVD and hauled toward a court-martial. En route, Soviet planes bomb the vehicle, killing the driver and Ivan's guard. Veikko witnesses the blast through his rifle scope from a distance, unaware of the fates unfolding around him.

While foraging for food, Anni finds the bodies of Ivan and his captors and buries them. She then discovers that Ivan is still alive but badly injured. She carries him to her wooden hut and nurses him back to health, despite the language barrier.

Veikko, desperate to remove his shackles, stumbles upon Anni's farm. He and Anni exchange glances, and the encounter hints at an unlikely alliance. They begin to share space and resources as they navigate their predicament.

The three strangers cannot speak each other's languages, leading to comic and sometimes tragic misunderstandings. Still, they begin a domestic routine of hunting and gathering and learn to rely on gestures. A fragile bond forms as they share warmth, food, and the slow drift toward trust.

Starved for companionship, Anni seduces Veikko, bringing him closeness and tenderness. Ivan grows jealous and resents the budding relationship, though remains protective of Anni in his own way. The trio’s bond deepens despite the undercurrents of rivalry.

A Soviet biplane crashes near Anni's hut, spilling leaflets that declare an armistice between Finland and the USSR. Veikko believes he can finally return home if he stays alive. Ivan, finding a pistol in the wreckage, remains convinced Veikko is still a German foe.

As Veikko reaches for the pistol, Ivan shoots him, still convinced Veikko is an enemy. Veikko staggers to stay alive while the forest holds its breath. The act becomes a turning point as the truth about the war begins to surface.

When Ivan reads the final line of the leaflet, he realizes that the war is truly over. He is overwhelmed with remorse and, with great effort, carries Veikko back to the farm. The two men's mortality and humanity collide with the mercy of Anni's care.

Anni uses ancient Sami rituals to heal Veikko, helping him recover from his injuries. While bedridden, the two men's dynamic shifts as Anni provides companionship and as Ivan becomes a gentler presence. The trio's bond grows beyond the earlier tensions.

Winter encroaches and Veikko and Ivan prepare to return to their homes in opposite directions. Anni stays behind, carrying memories that bind her to the two men in different ways. The separation marks the end of their improvised family, yet the experience reshapes each of them.

In the final scene, Anni recounts the strange winter to her children, naming them Veikko and Psholty after their fathers. The children become living memories of the two men who shared her life. The story closes with a sense of quiet continuity and memory.