Finnish film industry awarded it’s members in the ending party of HIFF’s Finnish Film Week on Thursday. J-P Valkeapää’s THEY HAVE ESCAPED was awarded for it’s directing and producing.

The film director of the year award went to J-P Valkeapää for THEY HAVE ESCAPED. According to the Association of the Finnish film directors, Valkeapää has created an exceptionally strong visual style and has courage to break the rules of the classic film narrative when needed. The film’s producer Aleksi Bardy was awarded the film producer of the year.

The film actor of the year award was given to three actors: Minna Haapkylä for his role as Marimekko CEO Armi Ratia in Jörn Donner’s ARMI ELÄÄ!, Antti Litja for his titular role in THE GRUMP and Janne Reinikainen for his role as artist Kalervo Palsa in Palsa.

The Finnish Documentary Guild awarded Iikka Vehkalahti for his lifelong work for the funding, visibility, quality and success of Finnish documentary films.

The screenwriter of the year award went to Petja Peltomaa whose latest work is the tv drama Syke.

Scenographer Pentti Valkeasuo got the production designer of the year award. The cinematography award went to the cinematography team of The Concrete Night film.

Producer Marianne Mäkelä was awarded the colleague of the year prize.