Eero Soininen

Laila is an innocent Lappish girl and the only daughter of a reindeer herder. During World War II, Laila rescues a crashed German fighter pilot, Hans, and the two develop warm feelings for each other during his convalescence. Years later, after the war, Hans returns to Lapland as a freelance photographer and manages to lure Laila to run away with him to the capital, Helsinki, to start a career as a photo model, much to the chagrin of her traditional father, Aslak. After initial happiness, however, Hans abandons Laila, and the decadent lifestyle of a big city sends her life into a downward spiral.

A story about the life of reindeer emperor Mosku in Eastern Lapland at the beginning of the 20th century, when social conditions and the practice of traditional livelihoods are in transition. Mosku is involved in reindeer disputes and skirmishes and is also involved in the bandit hunt on the side of Soviet Russia led by Wallenius, the commander of the Lapland border guard.