Maria
Thomas, a former doctor, a widower, lives alone in a basement apartment in Helsinki. His routine becomes even more limited when his misanthropic brother dies, reducing Thomas' human contact to practically nil. As with many seniors, he's basically invisible to passersby, though Thomas in particular avoids engaging with those around him. When he runs into his estranged daughter Marie, he tries to create a bridge.
Raakel Sammakko
Young Alex Sammako has seen his brothers defy the law in a series of deeds that first land them in jail, and then, after they escape and return to their rural home, land them back in the lap of their locally notorious family. Alex wants nothing to do with them. He is in love with Mirja, whose family is not that different from the Sammakos, but who shares Alex's viewpoints and feelings. Not helping matters is a police department convinced that all Sammakos are bad, and the family itself, pressuring Alex to follow in their murky footsteps.
