Beauty and the Bastard is a romantic comedy-drama film released in 2005 and directed by Dome Karukoski. The film follows the story of two very different young adults, Nelli and Sunen, who come from opposite worlds but share a passion for music. Nelli is a wealthy and well-educated young woman who dreams of becoming a pop star, while Sunen is a rebellious rap artist who comes from a poor background and struggles to make ends meet.
The film takes place in the city of Helsinki, where Nelli visits a recording studio to make a demo tape for her singing career. There, she meets Sunen, who is working as a janitor. After hearing Sunen rap, Nelli is impressed by his talent and asks him to help her with her demo tape. Sunen agrees, and the two begin to collaborate on music.
As they work together, Nelli and Sunen begin to grow closer and eventually fall in love. However, their cultural and economic differences make their relationship difficult, especially when Nelli's parents disapprove of Sunen and her career aspirations.
Despite the challenges they face, Nelli and Sunen continue to pursue their dreams and love for each other. The film's soundtrack features original music created by Finnish musicians, including songs performed by the film's stars Pamela Tola and Petteri Summanen.
Beauty and the Bastard was well-received by critics and audiences in Finland and internationally. It was Dome Karukoski's first feature film, and he went on to become one of the most celebrated filmmakers in Finland, known for his sensitive and humanistic portrayals of characters from different walks of life.