Film - thisisFINLAND

Finnish film from East Africa savours international acclaim

Somali Finnish film director Khadar Ayderus Ahmed describes the tribulations and triumphs of creating a movie about a haunting idea that simply wouldn’t leave him alone. It’s the first entry from Somalia for Best International Film Feature at the Oscars.

Arts & culture Film

“Plans are just plans”: Prize-winning Finnish film traces train trip to northern Russia

Director Juho Kuosmanen tells us about the adventure of making an unusual road movie that won the Grand Prix at Cannes.

Arts & culture Environment

Finnish film industry features carbon-neutral production

Reduction of carbon emissions is trending in the film industry. We visit an island off the coast of Finland to see what it takes to make a carbon-neutral movie.

Arts & culture Film

Filming the unusual story of Moomin creator Tove Jansson in Helsinki

We speak to director Zaida Bergroth about a film that shows viewers a new side of Finland’s Tove Jansson, the much-loved writer and artist who created the world-famous Moomin stories.

Arts & culture Visual arts

New audiences continue to find Finland’s number one painter, Helene Schjerfbeck

Early in 2020, record-breaking attendance at Helsinki’s Ateneum Art Museum and the release of a feature film signalled that artist Helene Schjerfbeck is getting much-deserved attention from audiences of all ages. We talk with actor Laura Birn and curator Anna-Maria von Bonsdorff.

Life & society ThisisFINLAND Magazine

Finnish actor Jasper Pääkkönen is raising awareness

Fisherman, businessman, actor: In these three roles Jasper Pääkkönen combines his passions and missions.

Arts & culture Equality

Tom of Finland and IDAHOTB both continue to contribute to pride and acceptance

May 8 is the birthday of Tom of Finland (1920–91), often called Finland’s most famous artist globally. Shortly after that anniversary, on May 17, the annual International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB) takes place.

Arts & culture Webpick

7 movies to see at Helsinki’s DocPoint Festival

Female directors march to the fore at the documentary film fest DocPoint in 2020.