Finnish Content Producers Form New Association

Finnish content producers from across the film and television industries have come together to form Audiovisual Producers Finland (APFI).

APFI will represent the interests of producers in the area of audiovisual content production, promoting internationalization and organizing industry events and competitions. It is also responsible for the collective management of copyrights.

The Association of Independent Producers in Finland (SATU), Finnish Film Producers (Elokuvatuottajat/COFFPA), Audiovisual Finland and the Collective Society for Audiovisual Producers in Finland (Tuotos) have brought their operations together. Kirsi Colliander, the executive director of Tuotos, has left the association. The recruitment of APFI’s executive director is underway.

Members include Riina Kullas (Moskito Television), Jarkko Hentula (Yellow Film & TV), Riina Hyytiä (Dionysos Films), Elina Pohjola (Pohjola-filmi), Katariina Lehtonen (Otto Production) and Martti Sivonen (Banijay Finland). Deputy members include Jonathan Tuovinen (Rabbit Films), Antti Seppänen (Intervisio), Pertti Veijalainen (Illume) and Mikko Räisänen (Lucy Loves Stories). The chair of the executive board is Mika Toivainen (Endemol Shine Finland), and the deputy chairs are Nina Laurio (Solar Films) and Lotta Backlund (Warner Bros. International Television Production Finland).

Toivainen said: “This is nothing short of a historic event—at last, industry producers are represented under the same roof! Luckily, we’re a strong association—a single negotiation and cooperation partner for our stakeholders. This will raise collaboration within the audiovisual industry to a completely new level. By joining our forces with all producers we are developing the industry’s business to a more competitive direction, making Finnish content increasingly well-known in the international markets.”

Toivainen added: “It’s great to have a chance to work with a Board as professional as this one is. We expect quite a lot from the new association. The expansion of the operating environment of the Finnish AV industry, the development of contractual conventions, and increasingly international operations set challenging requirements for our operations. I’m happy to be able to serve our members and customers even more efficiently and professionally than before.”