The 15th Finnish Film Affair closed in Helsinki with Nordic genre cinema in focus, including a new Nordic Genre Lab and market panels. A record 630 signed up for the industry event; Love & Anarchy drew 50,000 festivalgoers.
Finnish Film Foundation CEO Stuba Nikula said the government’s 2027 budget proposal to Parliament should keep annual support for the local industry at €23 million. He said streaming-service payments under the EU’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive could generate €3.5 million to €7 million; if the law passes as expected, the funds would be collected in 2027 and flow to the industry in 2028.
Hanna Bergholm’s horror film “Nightborn” and the Finnish-Norwegian documentary “The Secret Reading Club of Kabul” stood out at Love & Anarchy. The documentary about Afghan women received a standing ovation at its official screening, according to festival chief Pauliina Ståhlberg, and has launched a pre-Oscar crowdfunding campaign.
