The 2nd Finnish Film Affair celebrates success stories and broadens its guest list

Following up on its successful first edition, the second Finnish Film Affair (Sept 24-26) showcases new homegrown films and works-in-progress. The second edition includes the launch of an online screening room and celebrates several titles that were works-in-progress last year and went on to enjoy international breakthroughs.

As a result, increased interest in the Finnish Film Affair has led to an expanded guest list, which includes sales agents, buyers, and programmers. These include representatives from ZDF/Arte, Celluloid Dreams, Wild Bunch, Hanway, Tribeca, Palm Springs, Rotterdam and Locarno.

“The first edition introduced the Finnish Film Affair to international decision makers,” comments Sara Norberg, executive director of the Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy, which launched the event. “We’re very proud that the success of last year’s works-in-progress and the positive buzz around the event has attracted even more interest from the international industry.”

Line up of projects now published on the website

A total of almost 30 new films will be screened, including two Toronto-bound films: last year’s work-in-progress CONCRETE NIGHT by one of Finland’s foremost veteran filmmakers, Pirjo Honkasalo and HEART OF A LION by Dome Karukoski. Other festival hits include the documentaries FINNISH BLOOD, SWEDISH HEART by Mika Ronkainen, recently selected by Variety as One of Ten Euro Directors To Watch (Karlovy Vary) and ALCAN HIGHWAY by Aleksi Salmenperä (Hot Docs).

This year’s works-in-progress include a wide range of genres, from the latest offering of Finland’s most successful animation franchise, MOOMINS ON THE RIVIERA to the youth drama KORSO (Best Pitch Holland Film Meeting 2012) and the doc WIND CATCHERS (IDFA Forum 2011) about street artists in a Brazilian favela who start to get attention from the European art world.

The Finnish Film Affair programme and line up is now published on the new online platform (www.finnishfilmaffair.fi), where registered guests will also have an access to the new online screening library.

Programme includes a panel on coproductions with Russia

Moderated by the Hollywood Reporter’s Moscow-based correspondent Nick Holdsworth, the panel on September 26 "Rare Exports: Opportunities for Finnish-Russian Coproductions” will explore the opportunities for collaborations with neighbouring Russia. The discussion will focus on the current state of co-production in Russia, explaining significant recent changes in public financing; it will also explore opportunities to tap private funding and how distribution works in Europe's fourth biggest movie market.

Accreditation now open and programme schedule published

The programme of the event is now online. The screening schedule will be announced in the beginning of September. To request accreditation to the event, fill in the accreditation form. The early bird accreditation is ongoing until August 31st but it is possible to register up to the start of the event.