Finnish Film Affair 24

“This project is vital because it tells a story that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. Its themes of family, dependency, and the human need for connection are timeless, and its heartfelt portrayal of these issues will undoubtedly engage audiences worldwide,” says producer Juha Löppönen of The Beauty of Errors, a portrait of a family for whom home is the epicentre of everything.

Producer Sandra Enkvist tells BDE about her new project, directed by Vesa Kuosmanen, which pulls back the curtain on a dramatic period in Finland’s queer history. “In the 80s, the fear of AIDS was universal, and its legacy still echoes in the lives of the survivors among us. We want to make a film which breaks free from the fear that has shaped so much of queer history,” she says.

Jussi Sandhu’s feature doc project concerns the world’s first higher-education programme for social media, launched in Tampere, Finland. “But I’m No Influencer explores the questions of education export and social media through the eyes of a Filipino immigrant, Mark. But what should we all really learn about Influencing?” asks producer Pasi Hakkio. “It deals with global questions of education and social media. Rarely can such a character-driven story open up themes this big.”

Finnish Weird (aka F-Weird) is Finnish Film Affair's new pitching session, which will showcase up-and-coming talent presenting the most daring and unexplored ideas across a wide range of formats, including docs. "We want FFA to be known worldwide as the event where the most unique and pioneering film, TV and transmedia projects are pitched; the projects that you won't come across elsewhere,” says Alisha Hasan, Head of Industry. FFA runs September 25-27.