Film director Dome Karukoski, 49, says that the film industry should actively develop its dialogue with the sitting government.
Dome Karukoski gives his opinion on the crisis in the film industry. Jenni Gästgivar
In recent years, there has been a lot of talk about the decline of the film industry and, more broadly, the culture industry. The current government has been criticized for, among other things, this year’s 17 million euro cultural cuts. Well-known actors have said that they have lost their jobs, and some have said that they have changed fields.
Film director Dome Karukoski places responsibility for the current situation also on the shoulders of the film industry and its actors.
In his opinion, actors and other representatives of the cultural sector should form close relationships with the government and politicians. Discussion should be active, and confrontation should be avoided.
– Polarization and blaming others has increased in society. I think it’s stupid to blame one government because we haven’t been able to tell people how the IP industry works and why it’s worth investing in it today. I think many governments are quite separated from the cultural sector. The discussion connection should be strengthened, Karukoski tells Iltalehte..
– I go whenever I want to sit and talk Riikka Purran or Petteri Orpon with. The same thing with the next government, whoever sits there, says Karukoski.
The film director would like to talk with Purra and Orpo about how the Finnish economy could be revived and how Finns could do better as a nation – and how the cultural sector could help in this matter.
– We have to create a positive cycle. A good example is this cancellation of surgeries. When the public debate took place, the governing parties understood the situation.
The government decided in October 2025 during the budget crisis that the 7.8 million euro cut in business support will not target the film industry, as had been previously planned.
Not subsidies, but investment
In Karukoski’s opinion, the film industry should be talking about investments, not subsidies. He reminds us that the IP (Intellectual Property) industry, which is built on the lifeblood of creative people, is currently the “hottest thing” in the world.
– The money from the film foundation is anchor money, it’s a small share. The rest is collected from private parties. When a Finnish film is made, its box office revenue goes to Finland. The alternative is that no Finnish films are made, and that private money and box office revenues go to foreign films and production companies. The end result is that investing in films generates money for Finland, he says.
– Usually, a domestic film is number one in viewing statistics.
Karukoski says he optimistically believes that the cultural sector and the film industry will recover from their difficulties.
– If we can only make good stories, then it will start from there.
