For the first time, the Moving People and Images Award (the MPI Award) will be granted to a filmmaker whose work emphasizes diversity and inclusion. The monetary award worth 1000,00 € will be given to a filmmaker (the director and/or the screenwriter) to develop their next project. Filmmaker Erol Mintaş established the MPI Award, which is sponsored by the Finnish Film Foundation, AVEK and Yle, to support and celebrate the new voices of Finnish film. In addition, the filmmaker will have a consultation meeting with the Promotion Centre for Audiovisual Culture (AVEK) and the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) on the next project as part of the award.
“This new award shows that the film industry in Finland is ready to open up and to make room for new voices. Change is possible when we challenge existing structures”, says Erol Mintaş.