*Verimalja* (also known internationally as *The Chalice of Blood*) is a unique Finnish war film released in 2022 that blends historical drama with mythic adventure. Directed by Jarno Elonen and co-written with Pekka Rintala, the film takes place in the final years of **World War II**, during the harsh winter of 1943 as the war continues to devastate Europe.

The story follows Sergeant Juha-Matti Myllykoski, a Finnish volunteer who finds himself embroiled in an extraordinary mission far beyond the typical battlefield engagements. Like many of his compatriots struggling with poverty and the bleakness of war at home, Myllykoski dreams of a peaceful life back on his family farm and reuniting with his childhood love, Kaarina. However, economic hardship and the chaos of war leave him with few options, and he ends up joining forces with the notorious Waffen-SS division as part of a quest that is as perilous as it is mysterious.

Rather than focusing exclusively on combat, *Verimalja* centers on the unusual premise of a **treasure hunt**, a quest for a legendary medieval chalice believed to hold deep religious and perhaps supernatural significance. This seemingly holy relic—connected to Byzantine history—is said to be hidden somewhere in the vast and war-torn territories of the Soviet Union. The mission, however, is not merely a military operation; it is governed by forces that blur the line between faith, fanaticism, and greed. A Catholic bishop named Alberto Argentino from the Vatican takes command of the expedition, instilling in the volunteers an idea that they are on a sacred journey to retrieve something of enormous spiritual worth.

As Myllykoski and his fellow soldiers push deeper behind enemy lines, the so-called quest begins to reveal its darker facets. They are not the only ones searching for the chalice—other powerful factions, including Stalin’s secret police, the NKVD, are also hunting for it. This convergence of ideological, mystical, and militaristic motives casts doubt on the true nature of the mission. For Myllykoski, this journey becomes a personal crucible. He must confront his own beliefs and decide whether the pursuit of the chalice is truly a divine calling or a curse that has drawn him into moral ambiguity and danger.

Blending elements of **war, drama, and supernatural curiosity**, *Verimalja* presents a story that is both grounded in the historical turbulence of World War II and infused with the eternal human longing for meaning in the midst of chaos.