The Finnish film industry is proposing a government cut of 7 million euros ($8.26 million), which is scheduled to come into effect on January 1, 2026.
“If this cut is really 7 million people and we’re aiming to support our production, then the amount of films we can support is half. This means only a few documentaries and shorts, and less than ten feature films.”
Saarinen has been expressing similar concerns for years, but the latest developments have surprised him.
“We have been afraid of more cuts in addition to the 3 million people lost in the 2020s, and this was a complete surprise. This shows how twists our system is, and our Treasury is blaming the ongoing impulse to minimize Finland’s cultural budget.”
“They also hid their purpose to destroy the Finnish film industry by calling the cut a ‘business grant’ from the Ministry of Education and Culture. Politicians didn’t understand what they were deciding on. ”
The well-known expiration country has flooded social media with many statements, led by some of the nation’s most well-known directors.
Behind the award-winning “Tove” and the upcoming Marianne Faithfull biopic “Faithfull,” starring Freya Allan — “Everyone is on Warning.”
“We’re doing our best to make sure that this is not the way to go to the government. It makes no sense, and it’s not even economic. We really hope that this is not an ideological cut.”
Since 2023, Finland has witnessed a transition to the right following the defeat of former Prime Minister Sanna Marin and her central left government.
“Of course I’m worried about myself and my colleagues, but I’m most worried about young filmmakers. Less production increases the pressure to create box office hits and reduces risk.
“We predict that we will change our gaze into the past and only try to create what is called “safe bet.”
“Massive unemployment in the industry” is obvious, but Finns will find it difficult to compete with other Scandinavian countries.
“We already work together on a much smaller budget than our Scandinavian peers, and Finnish filmmakers have been able to create a big hit for Finnish audiences and achieve international success. The government is even surprised to consider such a drastic cut. Our culture should be our lifeline.
As Jussi-winning screenwriter Pekko Pesonen, behind the hit franchise “Lapland Odyssey,” pointed out, the blockbuster film takes beat-beats, not just low-budget arthouses.
“I have written several films aimed at large Finnish audiences. None of them were made without the support of the FFF. In recent years, filmmaking has become extremely difficult due to rising costs and constant reductions.
Director of the Box Office Smash and his “euthanasia” was competing for the Oscars in 2018, with Oscar submissions of this year: “100 liters of gold”;
Jani Pösö, producer of Alive Films, went a step further. “It’s really double-linked. When it comes to fundraising, it’s known for making films in rather untraditional ways.
Dome Karukoski, known for “Tolkien,” is about to shine a spotlight on the upcoming “Hippo Love” in the industry event, Finnish film incident.
“The cuts could knock down the film community when they’re already bleeding to the ground. This will take away the power of previous cuts that were attacked by our national broadcaster YLE. We’re protesting and trying to overturn these cuts, but unfortunately, I don’t have much hope for that.”
The FFF and the industry have been actively campaigning since its September announcement, but they assert that it is not the end of the story.
“We will fight until our Congress decides on the budget for next December. We hope that this reduction will be at least significantly reduced. They will change this decision once politicians understand that the entire cultural sector will lose a third of the basic funds in the state,” Saarinen said. But he remains cautious as the worst-case scenarios lead to cinema closures, unemployment and bankruptcy of several production companies.
Variety has reached out to the Ministry of Education, Culture, and for comments.
SF Studios and Nordisk Film emphasized to Finnish lawmakers that “to share our vision, strong support for films is not only a cultural choice, but also an economic and social investment in Finland’s future.”
“We’re looking forward to seeing you in the future,” said Iréne Lindblad, CEO of SF Studios. “Cutting film funding will be a serious blow to Finnish culture and the film industry. Film creates jobs, strengthens the economy and connects people across the country.
“We urge the government to reconsider this decision and protect investments that will allow Finnish stories to reach audiences both domestically and internationally.”
The FFF’s official view on diversity and shared circumstances argued that “every euro granted through the foundation has doubled at best back to the state Treasury Department,” and therefore “cannot be justified as supporting economic growth.”
The number of domestic premiers could collapse to “about half of current levels,” but domestic content (“in Finland’s most popular culture”) will suffer. “The domestic audience share of Finnish films has been the highest in Europe for a long time. Why is this all dismantled?”
In a statement released by local publication Helsingin Sanomat, which features several recognizable voices, veteran director Aki Kaurismäki raised another question.
Karukoski added: “I really cry to the younger generation of filmmakers trying to speak up in this hostile environment. It encourages them to seek asylum in Denmark and Ireland, who love films. Anyone staying in Finland needs to focus on laurel driving and ski jumping.”
