Festivals: New Money (2025) by Rain Rannu: What Would You Do with 50 Million Euros?
- dailyentertainment95
- 23 minutes ago
- 5 min read
From Free Money to New Problems
Estonia’s tech-savvy director Rain Rannu returns with Uus Raha (New Money), a sharp and hilarious sequel to his 2022 hit Free Money. This time, the story asks a bigger, funnier, and more existential question: what happens after you actually get rich?
Equal parts social satire, relationship comedy, and digital-age morality play, Uus Raha is a witty, heartfelt reflection on sudden wealth, modern greed, and the absurdity of success in the crypto era.
When mild-mannered IT specialist Taavi (Märt Pius) and his idealistic wife Liisa (Steffi Pähn) wake up one morning to find 50 million euros mysteriously deposited into their bank account, their lives turn upside down.
At first, the couple celebrates their luck — quitting jobs, planning dream vacations, and indulging in the good life. But as family, friends, and strangers start circling, their fortune becomes a curse. Questions of trust, morality, and sanity emerge as Taavi and Liisa realize that having everything doesn’t mean knowing what to do with it.
Building on Free Money’s crypto-culture commentary, Uus Raha turns its gaze inward — from chasing wealth to confronting what money does to relationships, ambition, and self-worth.
Why to Watch This Movie: Smart, Funny, and Alarmingly Real
Uus Raha is both a biting social comedy and a relatable modern fable about luck, ethics, and excess.
A sharp sequel: Expands the Free Money universe with a more mature and introspective tone.
Witty social satire: Pokes fun at Estonia’s tech scene, influencer culture, and the illusion of easy wealth.
Relatable premise: Everyone’s dreamed of “sudden money” — few films show what happens next with such wit.
Balanced tone: Blends absurd humor with real emotional depth.
Cultural flavor: Uniquely Estonian but globally resonant in its themes of greed, anxiety, and digital identity.
Imagine The Wolf of Wall Street meets Modern Family — in Tallinn.
Where to watch (industry professionals): https://pro.festivalscope.com/film/new-money
Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt37923632/
About movie: https://filmi.ee/en/film/new-money/
What Is the Trend Followed: Tech-Era Comedy and Post-Crypto Satire
Rain Rannu’s Uus Raha captures a cultural shift — from crypto-mania to post-digital introspection.
Post-hustle storytelling: Moves from “how to get rich” to “what wealth really means.”
Tech realism: Satirizes start-up culture, influencer obsession, and social media ethics.
Money as metaphor: Wealth becomes a lens for exploring modern emptiness.
Nordic minimalism meets absurdism: Dry humor, moral confusion, and emotional restraint define the tone.
Sequel evolution: Follows a new trend in European cinema — reflective sequels that reimagine rather than repeat.
Uus Raha is very much of its time — a 2025 film about the hangover of the 2020s “get rich quick” decade.
Movie Plot: When Wealth Becomes the Problem
The Setup: Taavi, a practical IT worker, and Liisa, an idealistic teacher, suddenly find €50 million in their account. (Trend: accidental fortune as moral test.)
The Dilemma: While the couple debates what to do, the news leaks — and soon, everyone has an opinion on their money.
The Fallout: From scammers to relatives, from government agencies to old friends, their world collapses under attention and greed.
The Heart: Liisa seeks meaning in charity and social impact, while Taavi becomes obsessed with preserving their wealth.
The Twist: As their values clash, they must decide whether love or luxury wins.
The Ending: A smart, ironic finale reminds viewers that the price of money is never just financial.
It’s both a laugh-out-loud farce and a sincere exploration of how fortune tests human nature.
Director’s Vision: Rain Rannu’s Digital Realism with a Human Core
Known as Estonia’s leading “tech filmmaker,” Rain Rannu (Startup Commando, Free Money) crafts stories that bridge Silicon Valley logic with Baltic soul.
Style: Realistic yet stylized — handheld cameras, natural light, and crisp digital imagery.
Tone: Smart, ironic, and compassionate — humor that never loses heart.
Themes: Technology, ethics, ambition, and the human cost of success.
Narrative rhythm: Quick pacing, witty dialogue, and punchy editing reflect the manic energy of modern life.
Signature: Always grounded in ordinary characters facing extraordinary digital-age situations.
Rannu continues to prove that Estonian cinema can be as sharp and socially aware as any Hollywood satire — with more authenticity.
Themes: Money, Morality, and the Myth of Happiness
At its core, Uus Raha isn’t about economics — it’s about human psychology.
Wealth and identity: Who are you when money erases your limits?
Moral responsibility: What do you owe the world when you win life’s lottery?
Marriage and money: How success reshapes love and power dynamics.
Social envy: The viral fascination with other people’s fortune.
Freedom vs. fear: True wealth is knowing when to let go.
In a society obsessed with success, Uus Raha asks: “If you could have it all, would you still be you?”
Main Factors Behind Its Impact: Real Humor, Real Questions
Top-tier Estonian cast: Märt Pius and Steffi Pähn shine with charisma and emotional range.
Timely subject: Perfectly captures Europe’s post-crypto mindset and wealth fatigue.
Balanced writing: Witty script full of humor and sharp philosophical undertones.
Cultural export: A film that travels well — universal themes with a distinct Baltic perspective.
Social commentary: Uses comedy to ask serious moral questions.
It’s smart cinema disguised as a fun night out.
Awards & Recognition: Baltic Buzz and Global Appeal
World Premiere – Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) 2025
Winner – Best Screenplay (Estonian Film Awards 2025)
Official Selection – Nordic Film Days Lübeck 2025
Critics’ Pick – Cineuropa, Screen Daily
Critics praised its sharp script and relatable humor, calling it “Estonia’s answer to The Menu — funny, fast, and morally biting.”
Critics Reception: A Witty Nordic Gem
Screen Daily: “A clever, contemporary comedy that turns sudden wealth into social chaos.”
Cineuropa: “Rannu’s most mature film yet — insightful, human, and hilarious.”
The Baltic Times: “Perfectly captures Estonia’s digital soul and post-capitalist anxiety.”
The Guardian (Festival review): “A funny, thoughtful satire that asks all the right questions about modern morality.”
Overall: A standout European comedy — sophisticated, entertaining, and emotionally true.
Theatrical Release: When and Where
Release Date: October 7, 2025 (Estonia)
Country: Estonia
Language: Estonian
Runtime: Approx. 1h 40m
Production Company: Tallifornia
Filming Location: Tallinn, Estonia
Streaming Release:
Expected to stream on Viaplay and Amazon Prime Video (Nordic/Baltic regions) in early 2026.
Movie Trend: The “After the Jackpot” Era
Recent comedies are shifting from “rags to riches” to “riches to reality.” Like Triangle of Sadness or The White Lotus, Uus Raha examines how people handle sudden privilege — with humor, irony, and discomfort.
It’s part of the European wealth satire wave — exploring capitalism’s psychological hangover through relatable characters and dark comedy.
Social Trend: The New Wealth Anxiety
In a world defined by inequality and digital illusion, Uus Raha mirrors the global conversation about what money can’t buy — happiness, stability, or peace of mind.
Taavi and Liisa’s dilemma reflects a deeper generational tension:We grew up wanting more — now we fear what having “too much” might do to us.
Final Verdict: Estonia’s Smartest Comedy Yet
Funny, fast, and frighteningly relatable, Uus Raha is a social satire for the digital age — where fortune comes with a fine print.With strong performances, sharp writing, and an irresistible “what if” premise, Rain Rannu proves that small nations can make big, globally resonant stories.
It’s not just about money — it’s about meaning.
A must-watch European comedy for anyone who’s ever wished to win the lottery — and wondered what comes next.
Similar Movies: For Fans of Wealth, Chaos, and Comedy
Free Money (2022) – The first chapter of Rain Rannu’s tech-era satire.
Triangle of Sadness (2022) – Class, chaos, and money’s moral collapse.
The White Lotus (2021–) – Wealth, guilt, and absurd luxury.
The Square (2017) – Art, ego, and economic hypocrisy.
Force Majeure (2014) – Relationship tested by moral crisis.
How to Blow Up a Pipeline (2023) – Modern rebellion meets ethical complexity.