Award-winning director Thomas ‘Dome’ Karukoski, one of Finland’s most successful film-makers, brings to the big screen the life, work and times, from the 1940s through the 1980s, of one man who influenced a generation – homoerotic artist Touko Laaksonen, aka Tom of Finland (Pekka Strang). Respected critic Markus Maattanen has described Dome Karukoski as “the saviour of Finnish cinema”.

Born in Cyprus to a Finnish-Swedish journalist mother and an American poet/actor father, he moved to Finland at the age of 5. He has previously directed six big Finnish box office hits, which were well received critically at home and abroad, and is a household name in Finland where he is also a campaigner against bullying in schools (he was bullied age 7-14). His last film, The Grump, is one of Finland’s top 3 box office hits over the last 25 years; with his nomination for it as Best Director at the Finnish Film Awards (the Jussis), Karukoski became the first Finnish director ever to be so nominated for each of his first six feature films.

“A sober, watchful performance from Pekka Strang…this biopic certainly doesn’t water down Laaksonen’s distinctive aesthetic, nor does it downplay the role of this unassuming Finnish man as an icon of gay liberation.” Wendy Ide, ObserverK

“Karukoski and cinematographer Lasse Frank use the interplay of light and shadow – some scenes are illuminated as if by Caravaggio – to underscore how Laaksonen and his few friends must remain hidden… the overarching theme is the power of art, even – or maybe especially – so-called deviant art.” Kristen Page-Kirby, Washington Post