Shudder Snags Finnish Vampire‑Santa Slasher ‘Red Snow’

Shudder announced today that it has picked up the rights to Red Snow, a wildly off‑kilter horror‑comedy that marries Christmas cheer with vampire gore. The film had its world premiere just this week at Fantastic Fest in Austin, and the streaming platform says it will roll out the title later in the year.

The story unfolds in a snow‑blanketed Finnish town, where 16‑year‑old emo outcast Johanna is day‑dreaming about a brooding, glitter‑capped vampire prince straight out of a Twilight‑style romance. Instead, she runs into Martti – a 49‑year‑old, balding, beer‑bellied bloodsucker who slips into a Santa costume to worm his way into unsuspecting homes and feast on whole families. On Christmas Eve the teenager thinks she’s finally found her dark prince, but the night quickly turns into a nightmarish slaughter that paints the snow a gruesome red.

Helmed by Ilja Rautsi – co‑writer of recent Shudder hits like Hatching and Nightborn – the film also stars Hannu‑Pekka Björkman as the grotesque Santa and Anni Iikkanen as the forlorn teen. Production was shepherded by Misha Jaari and Mark Lwoff for Bufo, with co‑producers Ivo Felt (Allfilm) and Peter Krupenin (HOBAB) on board.

“Red Snow is exactly the kind of wild, original genre filmmaking that Shudder audiences embrace,” explained Emily Gotto, senior vice‑president of acquisitions and productions at Shudder. “Ilja has crafted a funny, bloody and genuinely surprising Christmas nightmare – the perfect fit for our platform.”

Rautsi, beaming with the sort of giddy pride that only a horror fanatic can muster, added, “This movie comes from my lifelong love of all things creepy. It’s a splattery Christmas present made by freaks for freaks, and I couldn’t hope for a better home than Shudder.”

Fans of holiday horror can now look forward to streaming the film once Shudder’s schedule clears a slot. Until then, the only thing left to do is keep an eye on the snowfall – it may turn red sooner than you think.