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Project Detail

Tom of Finland

Synopsis

In post-WW II Finland, homosexuals were officially classified as mentally ill, weak and feminine. Conducting any homosexual act or producing homosexual material was illegal. Gay men were beaten by the police, thrown in jail like criminals and often sent to asylums for “treatment”. In the middle of it all was one man, quietly using his talent in an inhospitable societal environment, fantasizing about a different world through the tip of an artist’s pen: Touko Laaksonen, to be iconically known across the globe by his nom de guerre, Tom of Finland. Tom of Finland began secretly creating a completely new variety of homoerotic art for gay men. Proud, healthy and über-masculine. His work was sexually liberated. Totally shameless. Gleefully and aggressively trouncing the norm. His art fanned the flames of a revolution, emboldening a new generation of homosexuals to stand up and celebrate what they were: Men.

Details

Year
2017
Type of project
Features
Format
Digital
Director
Dome Karukoski
Producer
Aleksi Bardy, Miia Haavisto, Annika Sucksdorff
Co-Producer
Mike Downey, Sam Taylor, Gunnar Carlsson, Sophie Mahlo, Miriam Nørgaard, Malin Söderlund, Ingvar Þórðarson
Executive Producer
Dome Karukoski
Editor
Harri Ylönen
Screenwriter
Aleksi Bardy
Director of Photography
Lasse Frank Johannessen
Production Designer
Christian Olander
Sound
Robert Leib, Tobias Rönnertz
Principal cast
Werner Daehn, Jessica Grabowsky, Jimmy Shaw

Genre

LGBTQIA+ Drama

Categories

Fiction

Production Status

Complete

Production Company

Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, UK coproduction

A Helsinki Filmi Oy (FI), Anagram (SE), Fridthjof Film (DK), Neutrinos Productions (DE), Film Väst (SE) production in association with in Film and Music Entertainment F&ME (UK)

Film & Music Entertainment Ltd. (F&ME)

Unit 25
Archer Street Studios
10/11 Archer Street
London W1D 7AZ

Sales Company

Protagonist Pictures

Dave Bishop, Mike Goodridge
42-48 Great Portland St
London
W1W 7NB

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