Touko Laaksonen has served as an officer during the Second World War, difficult years in Finland, but life in peacetime proves just as tough.

Tom of Finland

Postwar Helsinki offers a very limited living space for young gay men as Touko.

To express love openly leads to harassment and punishment. But under the pseudonym “Tom of Finland” he find his desire and longing expression of homoerotic leather fantasies. Toukos controversial art becomes a path to liberation, both for him personally as for the gay community at large.

Tom of Finland is based on the real Touko Laaksonen spectacular life. From the war-torn Finland through Berlin to California‘s liberal 70’s paradise, and how his images achieved icon status and inspired a whole generation of young gay men. Tom of Finland is a poignant film about love, courage and freedom.

It is directed by one of Finland’s leading directors, multiple Jussi-winning Dome Karukoski, whose last three films had world premiere at the film festival in Toronto, and honoured with a place on Variety’s Top 10 Directors To Watch list.

Tom of Finland premiere is part of Finland’s 100th anniversary in 2017. 2017 is also the first year that Finland allows same-sex marriage (the gender-neutral marriage law comes into force in March 2017).

Actors :  Pekka Strang, Lauri Tilkanen, Seumas F. Sargent
Writers: Aleksi Bardy (screenplay), Aleksi Bardy (story by)
Director: Dome Karukoski

Release Dates

Finland 24 February 2017
Sweden 3 March 2017

Tom of Finland // trailer

Tagged:
About the Author

Staff members publishes stories from other news outlets from around the world.