The Project

The Ecological History of Finnish Cinema project aims to study the entire history of Finnish fiction film from the early 20th century to the present day from an environmental perspective. By combining ecocritical content analysis and environmental production studies, we will produce the first comprehensive study of the intertwining of environmental issues and national film culture. The focus will be on material practices (film technology, shooting locations, transport and catering, production resources etc) and production culture (work practices, standards, norms and value systems) and the ways they are reflected in content. By combining archival historical research of production materials and work cultures, we evaluate Finnish film production practices in a historical framework and map them against sustainability concerns in different cultural and production contexts. The project will ultimately learn from the past to develop the future: How do sustainable practices develop over decades of film production, and how can they enhance future film culture? How can the analytical models developed in the context of Finnish film history be transferred into international film scholarship?

Project duration and funding: 2024-2027, Kone Foundation

Introduction to the project:

https://koneensaatio.fi/en/stories/searching-for-greener-cinema-researchers-map-the-environmental-impact-of-finnish-films-over-a-century/