ThisisFINLAND Magazine - thisisFINLAND

Radical liberty: Finnish director Alli Haapasalo’s movie Girl Picture lets girls be girls

In Girl Picture, three teenage girls say and do what they want – without suffering any retribution. While directing the film, Alli Haapasalo realised how incredibly rare that kind of freedom is in movie plots. We talk with her about making films in Finland.

Life & society Media

Finland promotes media literacy as a civic skill

Julia Alajärvi is a senior adviser at the National Audiovisual Institute’s Department of Media Education and Audiovisual Media. In this column, she writes about the current place of media literacy in Finland and the world.

Life & society Sustainability

Six Finnish pioneers in carbon neutrality

Six Finnish cities have received recognition from the European Commission as pioneers in climate-neutrality efforts.

Life & society Sports

Having fun on the water in Finland

People in Finland love spending time outdoors. Finland’s 188,000 lakes, hundreds of rivers and long coastline offer plenty of opportunities to enjoy nature. The Finnish Lake District is the largest such area in Europe.

Business & innovation Business

Filming in photogenic Finland

Finland offers a stunning stage for movies, documentaries and series, no matter what kind of setting is required – from cityscapes to wilderness, and from lakes to archipelagos. In recent movies, Finnish cities have even played the roles of Paris and Seattle.

Business & innovation Work

CEO of Finland’s Supercell believes in work-life balance and an international workforce

Mobile game developer Supercell, headquartered in Helsinki, is known for its emphasis on employee wellbeing. Cofounder and CEO Ilkka Paananen shares his ideas about the work environments of the future.

Arts & culture Cuisine

Michelin-starred Finnish chef gets creative with plant-based food

Chef Kim Mikkola and his team achieved a Michelin star at their Helsinki restaurant, Inari, with vegetarian dishes accounting for 95 percent of the menu. (Article includes recipe.)

Life & society Nature

A breath of fresh Finnish air

The archipelago in the Baltic Sea just off the shore of Helsinki offers everything from vigorous exercise to mindful meditation.