Letters to Father Jacob () is a 2009 Finnish drama film written and directed by Klaus Härö. Set in the early 1970s and based on a story by Jaana Makkonen, the film tells the story of Leila, a pardoned convict, who becomes an assistant to a blind priest, Jacob. The film depicts her transformation from a sceptic who grudgingly reads letters aloud to her benefactor into a caring savior of the pastor from his despair after the letters stop coming.
In 2022, the film was chosen as the "most touching Finnish film of the 21st century" in the Helsingin Sanomat readers' vote.
Exteriors were filmed at St. Olaf's Church in Sastamala, Finland (Pyhän Olavin kirkko). The interiors were filmed at Holy Cross Church in Hattula (Pyhän Ristin kirkko).
Nordic Film Days, Lübeck, Germany, 4.âÂÂ8.11.2009<br> Interfilm Church Prize<br> Audience Award
58th International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg, Germany, 5.âÂÂ15.11.2009<br> Main Award
33rd Cairo International Film Festival, Egypt, 10.âÂÂ20.11.2009<br> The Golden Pyramid for the Best Film<br> The Prize for the Best Screenwriter (Klaus Härö)
Black Nights Film Festival, Tallinn, Estonia, 27.11.-6.12.2009<br> Jury Prize for the Best Director
28th Fajr International Film Festival, Iran, 1.âÂÂ11.2.2010<br> Crystal Simorgh Prize for the Best Film in the Competition of Quest for Truth & Justice
33rd Göteborg International Film Festival, Sweden, 29.1.âÂÂ8.2.2010<br> Nordic Film Music Prize (composer Dan Strömbäck)
Santa Barbara International Film Festival, USA, 4.âÂÂ14.2.2010<br> The Best International Film Award
Festival du Cinéma Nordique, Rouen, France, 10.âÂÂ21.3.2010<br> Best Actress Award (Kaarina Hazard)<br> Best Actor Award (Heikki Nousiainen)<br> Audience Award
Cape Winelands Film Festival, South Africa, 17.âÂÂ27.3.2010<br> Special Mention Award (actor Heikki Nousiainen)
Hong Kong International Film Festival, 21.3.âÂÂ11.4.2010<br> SIGNIS Commendation
RiverRun International Film Festival, NC, USA, 15.âÂÂ25.4.2010<br> BB&T Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
Festroia, Portugal, 4.âÂÂ13.6.2010<br> Prize Man and His Environment
Festival de Cine de Huesca, Spain, 4.âÂÂ12.6.2010<br> Audience Award