Literature - thisisFINLAND

The Finnish island where Moomin author Tove Jansson used to live still inspires artists

Finnish artist and author Tove Jansson, creator of the Moomin books, spent almost 30 summers on Klovharun, a tiny island in the Gulf of Finland. Since then, hundreds of artists have enjoyed week-long residencies at the isolated, inspiring location.

Arts & culture Webpick

100 or so books from Finland: See what the Finnish Literature Exchange suggests

The Finnish Literature Exchange (FILI) lists more than 100 up-and-coming books from Finland. The bulk of them are so new that they haven’t been translated yet, but they offer a tantalising view of what’s on the way.

Arts & culture Webpick

Adventure of a lifetime: Director Charlie McDowell films Finnish author Tove Jansson’s Summer Book

When American director Charlie McDowell set out to adapt Tove Jansson’s Summer Book in Finland’s archipelago, both he and the legendary actress Glenn Close found themselves profoundly affected by the untouched nature.

Library books borrowed per person per year

Arts & culture Finnishness

Visit a scenic Finnish lake essential to the country’s cultural legacy

The shores of one picturesque lake were home to a community of Finland’s most significant artists in the early 1900s – a cultural powerhouse whose legacy and influence is still vibrantly alive.

Life & society Social Services

Oodi Library acts as Helsinki’s urban living room

The Finnish government built the flagship library Oodi as a present to its citizens after the country celebrated 100 years of independence in 2017. It is a clear indication of how important reading and education are to Finns.

Arts & culture Webpick

Finnish playwright’s newest production creates space for exploring social norms

Finnish author and theatre director Saara Turunen is back with The Grapes of Reason, the third play in her Rooms trilogy. It opened at Helsinki theatre Q-teatteri in autumn 2022. English subtitles are available at several performances.

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 Literature

Finland’s Moomin stories pop up at multilingual Read Hour event in Reykjavík, Iceland

The Finnish initiative Read Hour takes place on UN International Literacy Day. We visit a Read Hour event in Reykjavík, Iceland, where Sophia Jansson, niece of Moomin creator Tove Jansson, talks about the famous characters and reads aloud from one of the stories.