Finnish filmmaker Alli Haapsalo’s “Tell Everyone,” a timely period drama that follows a woman’s quest for freedom at a remote island sanitarium, took home the top prize at Finnish Film Affair, winning the award for best fiction project at the industry event that runs alongside the Helsinki Intl. Film Festival – Love & Anarchy.
The award capped an emotional week in Helsinki, where members of the Finnish film community have railed against proposed government cuts to cultural spending that could decimate the vibrant Nordic industry.
Accepting her award on Thursday, Haapsalo praised the “solidarity” among her compatriots attending the event, stressing the urgency to “fight the power” and to continue defending an art form that is increasingly under threat in Finland.
“It really felt like a family sitting there together, which is especially important right now because we have a hostile government against culture and against film funding, and I feel like we can feel at this year’s Film Affair that we’ve really, really come together,” Haapsalo said. “Everybody here knows that we have been resisting, fighting the power and fighting for our culture lately.”
The director also underscored the “need for political films” at this precarious moment for the industry, adding: “Our film is very political, and I think it’s really important to keep making them, and it’s really important to keep selling them and programming them, especially in this day and age. Let’s fight the power.”
Set at the turn of the 20th century, “Tell Everyone” follows the story of an independent young woman fighting for her freedom after being confined to a remote sanatorium island for “troublesome” women. Determined to escape, she begins plotting her way out, only to discover true friendship, forbidden love and the painful price of belonging. The film is written by Katja Kallio and produced by Teea Hyytiä for Helsinki-filmi.
The jury, which was comprised of Aleksandra Zakharchenko from the Cannes Film Festival’s Marché du Film, Jim Kolmar from SXSW and Marike Muselaers of Nordisk Film Production, praised “Tell Everyone” for its sense of purpose and sensitivity, while highlighting its potential as both an artistic achievement and as a project with international appeal.
“A bold historical drama that promises to explore themes of institutionalized misogyny, bodily autonomy and the demands society continues to place on women, this is a project and pitch that feels more timely than ever,” the jury said.
The award for best Nordic project went to “Pigtown,” billed as a “rural romantic zombie horror comedy,” written and directed by Finnish filmmaker Pekka Ollula, and produced by Oohlala Pictures and GötaFilm.
Praising the “sheer fun, passion and energy this team brought to the room,” the jury noted in its citation: “The global potential for this European co-production is obvious, and they even managed to make it personal and authentic by touching on the importance of community and family, which isn’t easy when your story happens to be a horror zombie comedy.”
Best documentary honors went to Finland’s Hanna Nordenswan for “Sense and Sensibility,” which tells the story of the unique relationship between a mother and daughter who both work at a ceremony. The film is produced by Helsinki-based Zone2 Pictures.
The jury, which consisted of Katre Kajamäe-Gupta of Eurimages, Jason Ryle from the Toronto Film Festival and Natalie Campbell-Reid of Together Films, said the film “stood out for its deeply human yet extraordinary theme.”
“With a clear vision, the director presents a mother–daughter story that is highly relatable and could resonate across borders. The project promises to portray death as a natural part of life, leveraging a comedic tone at parts and strong stylistic choices from the director,” the jury noted in its citation. “We are eager to see it reach audiences on international screens.”
The three winning projects received €3,000 ($3,500) cash prizes toward international marketing and promotion.
Among the other awards handed out in Helsinki, the top prize in the F-Weird section went to Milla Puolakanaho and Juha Ilmari Laine for the animated short documentary “Boobs.” The MIDPOINT Consulting Award went to writer-director Aino Suni and producer Emilia Haukka. The winner of the Connecting Cottbus Producers Exchange was Julia Elomäki. Finally, an award presented in collaboration with the Göteborg Film Festival offering two full market badges to Göteborg’s Nordic Film Market and TV Drama Vision in 2026 went to director Khadar Ahmed.
Finnish Film Affair takes place Sept. 24 – 26.
