Directed by

Mikko Kuparinen
Made by

MRP Matila Röhr Productions
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Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Body Fat Index of Love (2012). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Stigu Mertala, Mikko Nousiainen, is a celebrated, award-winning adman who has built a nightlife-sparked legend in Helsinki, yet lately his energy from work isn’t what it used to be and his job feels precarious. Ella Sadeoja, Emilia Sinisalo, works as a salesperson in the clothing section of a department store, nursing a single, steadfast dream: to open her own clothing shop. She is relentlessly focused, and nothing—least of all distractions—will stand in the way of that goal.
When they meet in a gym cafeteria, Stigu is swept off his feet by Ella, and she seems open to him too, but with one crucial caveat: she wants no commitment, not even a Facebook friendship. Rather than walk away, Stigu chooses to play along, and the two forge a partnership that starts as a professional collaboration and quickly swerves into something more personal.
Together they embark on a project to design an advertisement about sustainable relationships, a concept Ella questions while Stigu, admittedly, knows little about it. As they bounce ideas and tensions back and forth, their chemistry deepens, and the boundaries between work and romance blur. Their intense collaboration casts them into the Finnish heartlands, culminating at the world-renowned Wife Carrying Contest, a setting that tests endurance, courage, and stubborn resolve. For Stigu, the mission becomes clear: win Ella over at any cost, even if it means venturing into risky territory.
The journey unfolds against sweeping landscapes that showcase Finnish summers at their most beautiful, and the pair slowly unsnarl the secrets of relationships they had previously overlooked. Ella remains wary of romantic experiments, while Stigu pushes himself to prove that commitment can be more than a prop in an ad campaign. As the contest looms and time runs short, Stigu’s relentless pursuit pushes him to the edge, forcing him to confront what love, work, and honesty truly require.
Throughout their evolving dynamic, the lovers navigate doubts, desires, and the pressure of an ambitious project that could redefine how relationships are seen. In a story that blends humor with sincerity, they discover that the road to connection is often messy, stretching beyond the confines of matchmaking campaigns and into the heart of what it means to care for another person.
Follow the complete movie timeline of Body Fat Index of Love (2012) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Celebrated adman, single life in Helsinki
Timo Stigu Mertala is a celebrated, award-winning adman who is sworn to singlehood. He is a well-known figure in the Helsinki nightlife. Lately, work no longer energizes him the same way, and he suspects it might threaten his success.
Strange fatigue hits his career
Stigu begins to feel a dulling of his usual energy for work and social life. He struggles to keep up with demanding projects and public attention. The sense of stagnation hints at bigger personal changes to come.
Ella Sadeoja's dream
Ella works as a department store salesperson and dreams of starting her own clothing store. She approaches her goal with relentless practicality and determination. Her ambitions set a clear contrast to Stigu's hedonistic lifestyle.
First meeting at the gym cafeteria
Stigu and Ella cross paths at a gym cafeteria and there is an instant, undeniable spark. Ella's guarded, but there are hints of genuine interest behind her casual attitude. The encounter marks the beginning of a charged connection.
Stigu falls for Ella
Stigu falls head over heels for Ella, even as he suspects complications may lie ahead. Ella seems intrigued too, yet she keeps a distance, signaling that a real relationship may not be on the table. This moment shifts their dynamic from flirtation to deeper emotional tension.
The pact: casual but complicated
Ella makes it clear she wants only sex and no commitment, not even social media ties. Stigu chooses to go along with her boundaries, sacrificing his own longing for a greater chance at closeness. Their arrangement becomes the seed for a new, uneasy collaboration.
A joint project on sustainable relationships
They team up to design an advertisement for the Family Federation about sustainable relationships. Neither fully believes in the concept, and Stigu admits his ignorance about the topic. The collaboration tests both their professional instincts and their personal chemistry.
Ella's skepticism meets Stigu's naiveté
Ella challenges the feasibility of sustainable relationships while Stigu wrestles with his own lack of knowledge. The creative process becomes a battlefield for their differing worldviews. As they argue and brainstorm, trust begins to grow in small, uneasy increments.
They travel to the Finnish heartlands
Prompted by the project, they journey into the Finnish countryside for inspiration. The landscapes expose them to new cultural textures and questions about love and partnership. The time away deepens their personal connections even as professional pressures mount.
Wife Carrying Contest drama
In the Savonian heartlands, they attend the world-renowned Wife Carrying Contest. Stigu becomes single-minded in his mission to win Ella over, risking everything for their relationship. The contest serves as a dramatic backdrop to test strength, balance, and commitment.
Time is running out; Stigu pushes too far
With deadlines looming, Stigu's efforts to persuade Ella intensify beyond reason. He risks overstepping boundaries in pursuit of love, threatening both the campaign and their fragile bond. The mounting pressure increases the stakes of their collaboration.
Resolution or new beginning
The story explores the deeper secrets of relationships as they navigate personal and professional commitments. They confront what truly matters beyond sex and appearances. The outcome leaves their lives—and their collaboration—at a crossroads, inviting change regardless of the path chosen.
Explore all characters from Body Fat Index of Love (2012). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Stigu Mertala (Mikko Nousiainen)
A celebrated, award-winning adman who thrives in Helsinki's nightlife but is wary of commitment. He pursues Ella with charisma and determination, yet his longing for love collides with his professed singlehood. His strategic mind makes him capable of pushing boundaries to win the relationship he desires.
Ella Sadeoja
A department-store salesperson with a clear, ambitious goal: start her own clothing store. Pragmatic and intensely focused, she wants a casual sexual relationship without commitment or social media entanglements like Facebook friendship. Her decisiveness drives the partnership forward even as she resists traditional romance.
Learn where and when Body Fat Index of Love (2012) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Time period
Present day
The story unfolds in contemporary Finland, reflecting modern dating, social media, and corporate advertising. It is anchored in Helsinki's present-day setting and moves to rural Savonia during a Finnish summer, highlighting a culture where tradition meets modern life.
Location
Helsinki, Savonia
The film is set primarily in Helsinki's vibrant nightlife, then travels to the Finnish heartlands for the world-renowned Wife Carrying Contest in Savonia. Helsinki is depicted as a glamorous, fast-paced urban hub where ad men and shoppers mingle. The Savonian countryside contrasts with rural traditions and a playful contest that tests couples.
Discover the main themes in Body Fat Index of Love (2012). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Romance & Boundaries
Stigu's longing for Ella clashes with her casual relationship stance. The pair's dynamic shifts from attraction to complication as they navigate trust, commitment, and the limits of desire. The project on sustainable relationships further presses them to confront what they truly want from each other.
♻️
Sustainability & Advertising
Their collaboration on an advertisement for sustainable relationships reveals the tension between idealized partnership and messy real life. Stigu seeks meaningful connection while Ella treats relationships as experiments in utility. The marketing frame probes how messages of forever collide with personal freedom and desire.
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Cultural Traditions
The Wife Carrying Contest in Savonia becomes a backdrop for exploring Finnish rural identity, humor, and physical competition. The event tests characters' values under pressure and catalyzes emotional shifts. The blend of tradition and spectacle shows how culture shapes relationships.

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Discover the spoiler-free summary of Body Fat Index of Love (2012). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In the restless glow of Helsinki’s nightlife, an award‑winning ad executive prowls the city’s sleek bars and clubs, his reputation for dazzling campaigns matched only by his sworn commitment to singlehood. Though his career once surged with every new brief, a lingering unease now shadows his creative highs, hinting that the pulse of the city may be pulling him in an unexpected direction.
Ella spends her days in the polished aisles of a department‑store clothing section, where she meticulously curates looks for strangers while nursing a private ambition to launch her own boutique. Practical, driven, and unapologetically confident, she approaches relationships with the same efficiency she applies to retail: a focus on the immediate, a belief that lasting bonds are optional luxuries she does not need.
Their paths cross in a modest gym cafeteria, where a purely physical connection ignites. While Stigu finds himself unexpectedly swept up in genuine affection, Ella makes it clear that her only desire is good, regular sex—nothing more, nothing less. The mismatch of hopes creates a delicate dance, each staying in step with the other’s expectations while the unspoken tension simmers beneath the surface.
A sudden corporate assignment forces them into a professional partnership: together they must craft a campaign for the Family Federation, promoting the idea of sustainable relationships. Ella watches the concept with skepticism, while Stigu admits to little knowledge of the subject, leaving both to grapple with personal doubts and creative challenges. The project becomes a crucible that tests their chemistry, exposing the gap between fleeting intimacy and the deeper connections the brief calls for, all set against the bright, breezy backdrop of a Finnish summer.
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