thisisFINLAND

Love’s labour isn’t lost in Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki’s Fallen Leaves

Aki Kaurismäki, Finland’s most famous director, came out of retirement to make Fallen Leaves, which won the Jury Prize at Cannes. His 20th feature film is a love story.

Arts & culture Nature

Finnish photographer Meeri Koutaniemi goes to the source

Wherever she roams, award-winning photographer Meeri Koutaniemi draws strength from Finnish nature – and never stops looking for that perfect tree to climb. Our article includes a small selection of her impressive photography.

Arts & culture Climate

Live gigs with fewer climate worries: Finland’s music industry has a plan

When you’re out with friends at a concert or festival, you’d probably rather not worry about the event’s greenhouse gas emissions. What if it was carefully planned to minimise emissions, or even certified as carbon-neutral?

Mellunmäki

The world's northernmost metro station, in Helsinki

Life & society Cuisine

We love Finnish rye bread: A baking story that stretches across borders and generations

A Finnish American reporter talks food and family history as he remembers his grandmother, and uncovers a long-lost rye bread starter dough in the process. The article includes a Finnish sourdough rye bread recipe, so do try this at home.

Business & innovation Work

Gathering experiences of working life in Finland

Finland is looking for international talent to join its workforce, especially for positions in the health and ICT sectors. Professors of practice Jamie Hyneman and Jorma Turunen talk about their experiences working in Finland. We also speak to startup entrepreneurs Iranthi Gomes and Anna Fatima Sambou about launching a business in the country.

Arts & culture Film

In northern Finland, three unconventional Sámi artists talk about culture and craft

A documentary directed by Auri Ahola traces the career trajectories of three unusual Sámi artists as they discuss their connections to Sámi culture and the landscape of the far north. The film is embedded in our article for you to watch.

Arts & culture Webpick

Finnish composer Esa-Pekka Salonen to receive 2024 Polar Music Prize

Finnish composer and conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen will be awarded the 2024 Polar Music Prize on May 21 in Stockholm, Sweden. The second recipient this year is long-time music-industry mainstay Nile Rodgers.

Arts & culture Music

Hold on to summer: Sunny Flow Fest memories in Helsinki last through the autumn and beyond

Flow Festival is an extravaganza, the highlight of the summer for multitudes of music fans in Finland. With interviews and a photo show, we attempt to bottle its essence so we can make the summer last longer, even as autumn is increasingly in the air.

#1 passport

Finns can travel visa-free to 174 countries (Germans, Brits and Swedes share this honour)

Source: Visa Restrictions Index

things you should and shouldn’t know