Three Pills

In the year 2050, the system provides three pills to every elderly person, to be taken on their 70th birthday.

Three Pills offers a grotesque vision of our future in an overpopulated and aging world.

story by
VERONIKA HERREN

written, produced & directed by
CHRISTIAN WENGER

director of photography
MATTI IMMONEN

music composer
AKI SILVENTOINEN

cast
VERONIKA HERREN

crew
production manager MARKUS MUTANEN
1st assistant director MARKUS PALMEN
production designer HEIDI WENGER
set designer & props master MARKUS MUTANEN
set decorator MINNA LILJA
rear projection designer TEEMU ÅKE
make-up & hair SANNA LILJAMO
cinematographer MATTI IMMONEN
1st assistant camera PAULI BOSTRÖM
gaffer SANTERI SIIRTONEN
best boy JOONAS KOHONEN
bts videographer VILI LEHTISALO

post
editor CHRISTIAN WENGER
music & sound design AKI SILVENTOINEN
colorist SARRAH WILKMAN
graphic design HEIDI WENGER
“three pills” logo design JOONAS KOHONEN

camera equipment
CANON FINLAND

light & grip equipment
KINOS RENTALS

color grading services
GRADE ONE

emotional testing
AFFECTIVA

special thanks
JOONAS SCHWARTZBERG, MATIAS BOETTGE, MIKKO SAVINAINEN, MATTHEW STRAFUSS, HARRIET KOLLANUS, SAMI MUTANEN HELENA & JUKKA PIHKO, JOKKE HEIKKILÄ, DONAL CROTTY & THE CITY OF HELSINKI RESCUE DEPARTMENT / HARRI KOSKIMÄKI & COLLEAGUES

production CHRISTIAN WENGER & SMAK FILM

Finland Helsinki 2020

The idea of our short came about last summer during a phone call with my mother, Veronika Herren. At the age of 74, she is still an active actress, hungry for the next big thing. During our phone calls, we talk about all kinds of film ideas. Most of them never see the light of day, but this one was different. We had this grotesque vision of how our overpopulated and aging world could look like in 2050. Would our system be able to support all of us? If not, would an elderly person’s life be equally valuable as that of a young person? I could literally see the film in front of my eyes, my mother playing the lead role.

As a director, I wanted Three Pills to become a subtle sci-fi short, that gets under your skin while feeling present and real. It should captivate with strong visuals and story rather than try to impress with effects.

But ultimately, I wanted to create nostalgic timeless experience that reaches people in a digital connected world.