Some new adventures had happened lately. Kati Nuora and I founded Midsummer in Hollywood – Finnish Film Event in 2019. We aim to mix the traditional Nordic customs with the LA Cool. Our mission is to make Finnish Film Makers more known in the City of Angels and bring the best Finnish movies to people who truly appreciate the world of cinema.

Covid-19 pandemic of course slowed down our production, but in December 14^th 2021 we were finally able to screen Hamy Ramezan’s Any Day Now at Rodeo Screening Room. The event was funded by Finlandia Foundation and Finnish Film Foundation.

Midsummer in Hollywood 2022 was organized in co-operation with Consulate General of Finland, Los Angeles and Film in Finland. Finnish Film Foundation and Finnish American Chamber of Commerce were funding the event, and it was organized during the American Film Market to draw attention to Finnish filmmakers attending AFM. The event was held November 2-3 at Lumiere Cinema. We screened Alli Haapasalo’s Girl Picture, Einari Paakkanen’s Karaoke Paradise and Aku Louhimies’ The Wait, who attended to the Q&A after the screening with screenwriter/actor Inka Kallén & producer/actor Andrei Alén (in a photo). Amongst others, guest included The Wait’s music composer Esa-Pekka Salonen, music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 1992 until 2009, Consul General of Finland in Los Angeles, Okko-Pekka Salmimies, Marko Salonen, Executive Director at Finnish American Chamber of Commerce – New York and other film makers, actors, film festival directors and cinephiles.

Midsummer in Hollywood 2023 partnered up with the Next Beverly Hills Committee to promote cultural unity. On Tuesday March 14 a Finnish Film Grump: In Search of an Escort was screened twice at Greystone Mansion’s theatre. Regardless of the heavy rain and challenging road conditions Beverly Hills’ Vice Mayor Julian A. Gold and Consul General of Finland in Los Angeles, Okko-Pekka Salmimies arrived at the porte cochere where the reception was held. Dignitaries, film makers, actors, film festival directors and cinephiles enjoyed a reception between screenings to mingle and connect.

Amongst others, guest included Beverly Hills Councilmember John Mirich, Swedish Chamber of Commerce president and honorary consul of Sweden Gudrun Giddings, honorary Consul of Iceland in Los Angeles Linda Björk Bragadottir, Norwegian Chamber of Commerce president Erik Steigen, South East European Film Festival in Los Angeles founder Vera Mijojlic, European Language and Movies in America Organization’s Pascal Ladreyt and Geert Criel, Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Marlene von Arx, HFPA’s Board Director Tina Johnk Christensen and HFPA’s Independent Board Director Sharlette Hambrick, Filmmaker Yu Kim, Film Producer Cyril Jacob Abraham, Filmmaker Annika Hylmö, Documentary Maker Rick Cutter, Sarahan Yeah and Anna Son, and from the Finnish Community actress/screenwriter Nina Sallinen, TV producer Kati Kanerva, businessperson Leena Tukiainen, Sound Editor and designer Jussi Tegelman, Songwriter, Producer and Drummer Sami Törmänen, Filmmaker Beata Harju, Filmmaker Hanna Västinsalo, Cinematographer Henry Dhuy, Writer Nelli Dhuy and co-organizers; Next Beverly Hills Past Chair Tiffany Davis, Senior Policy and Management Administrator Gabriella Yap, Venue Coordinator Sara Scrimshaw and Midsummer in Hollywood Co-Founder Kirpi Uimonen.

More information and photos on FB: https://shorturl.at/pqUX5 or Midsummer in Hollywood website: https://www.midsummerinhollywood.com