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FUNDING Finland

The Finnish Film Foundation supports 26 projects

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- The funding, which totals over €4.5 million, will serve to support the upcoming projects by Mika Kaurismäki, J-P Valkeapää and Ilmar Raag, among others

The Finnish Film Foundation supports 26 projects
Director Mika Kaurismäki (© Marianna-Films Oy)

As announced by the Finnish Film Foundation, 26 projects received support from the organisation during the latest session, held in May. The sum, which totals €4,523,200, was distributed among four feature films, two international minority co-productions, nine documentaries, four TV series and seven short films.

Starting with the Finnish feature films, Mika Kaurismäki’s upcoming drama Master Cheng has received €710,000. Scripted by Hannu Oravisto, the story follows Cheng, a professional Chinese chef who travels with his son to a remote Finnish village. Master Cheng is a Finnish-Chinese production by Kaurismäki’s Marianna Films and last month also received support to the tune of NOK 1,800,000 (€190,000) from the Nordisk Film & TV Fond. The shoot is planned for the summer and early autumn.

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The long-awaited upcoming film Dogs Don't Wear Pants [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: J-P Valkeapää
film profile
]
(working title: Mona) by J-P Valkeapää (They Have Escaped [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: J-P Valkeapää
film profile
]
The Visitor [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
) has received €700,000, with principal photography slated to begin in summer. The film has been co-written by the director and Juhana Lumme and is being produced by Aleksi Bardy for Helsinki-filmi. The other supported features are two children’s films: Vinski and the Invisibility Powder, directed and produced by Juha Wuolijoki (Snapper Films), and Jill, Joy and the Sleeping Clock by Saara Cantell, produced by Sari Lempiäinen (Zodiak Finland); they have received €710,000 and €655,000, respectively.

As for international co-productions, Estonia’s Ilmar Raag (Love Is Blind [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
The Class [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
) received support of €150,000 for his Eric Stoneheart, staged by Estonia’s Riina Sildos (Amrion); the Finnish producer is Aleksi Bardy (Helsinki-filmi). The same amount was also awarded to Jonas Selberg Augustsén’s (The Garbage Helicopter [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
) sophomore film, The Longest Day [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
, which is being produced by Sweden’s Bob Film; the Finnish partners are Annalisa Schmuckli and Saana Räntilä from Empire Pictures.

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