Earlier this month, the Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux was proud to host a networking and sauna event at the Finnish Seamen’s Church in the Netherlands, celebrating the strong recurrent Finnish presence at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR). In total, 12 Finnish productions and co-productions were selected! World premieres included titles such as Erol Mintaș’s Earth Song, Samuli Valkama’s The Kidnapping of a President, Siiri Selin’s Dancers Only and Heidi Piiroinen‘s I am a River. You can read more about the selection of Finnish films at IFFR 2026 in our previous article.
The event was aimed at Finnish and international film professionals and was organised in collaboration with the IFFR, Finnish Film Foundation (SES), the Embassy of Finland in The Hague, and the Finnish Seamen’s Church in the Netherlands.
On the first Sunday of February, film professionals spent their afternoon mingling, going to the sauna, and enjoying Finnish delicacies (delicious mini-laskiaispullat were served). Many attendees noted that the event was a perfect way to relax in the middle of a hectic festival schedule. The niche event created a meaningful space for Finnish and Finland-based film professionals to network with local industry professionals, promote a strong Finnish creative presence, and generate new opportunities for Finnish and Finland-based filmmakers in the region. It also strengthened collaboration between the Finnish Cultural Institute for the Benelux and IFFR, laying the groundwork for future initiatives.
Director of the Institute, Johanna Råman, shared that “inspiring and diverse films are needed now more than ever,” emphasizing the high quality. “There are many visionary filmmakers in Finland, and this year’s selection featured films that were fresh, distinctive, and cool.”
You can see more photos from our networking and sauna event on our instagram page.
Cover image: Finnish sauna and networking event at IFFR 2026. Photo: Yohannes Henriksson.
The event was held during the 55th edition of IFFR (29 January–8 February 2026). Visit the IFFR website to see the full 2026 programme.