Film awards, Olympic medals and light installations

Three cheers for Iivo Niskanen. The cross-country skier won Finland’s first medal at the Beijing Winter Olympics. Niskanen put u a fight and took the bronze medal in the men’s 15km + 15km skiathlon event. Yle has the story. (Photo: Facebook / Olympic Team Finland)

Double win for Finnish horror. Hanna Bergholm’s Hatching won two awards at the Gerardmer International Fantasy Film Festival: Grand Jury Prize and the Youth Jury Prize. “Hatching is the kind of horror-tinged movie that makes you think more than it makes you jump,” CineEuropa writes in its review. (Photo: Silva Mysterium)

This year’s Runeberg Prize winner has been revealed. The annual literature prize was awarded to Quynh Tran for his debut novel, Skugga och svalka (Shadow and Coolness). The book reflects Tran’s own background, writes Yle, and tells “the story of a Vietnamese family in a coastal Ostrobothnian town”. (Photo: Kevin Chang)

The MS Estonia disaster will be reimagined for the silver screen. A new TV series, Estonia, tells the story of Europe’s worst peacetime maritime disaster and is due to start shooting this spring in Finland, Sweden and Estonia. Variety describes the project as “Finland’s biggest drama project to date”. (Photo: C More)

Von Hertzen Brothers are back. The Finnish band is set to soon release its first album since 2017 and gives a taste of what is to come with a new single, All of a Sudden, You Are Gone. Metal Planet Music describes the track as a “7-minute opus which soars from gentle acoustic ballad to dramatic orchestral finale”. (Photo: Facebook / Von Hertzen Brothers / Denis Vinokur)

Literature takes centre stage in Oulu. The city’s writers association hosts an international literature event, Black Hole – Books meet Rights, on 11-12 February. The virtual event focuses on literary exports and will host discussions about Northern Finnish literature, translating, publishing Finnish literature abroad and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the book industry. Read more on the event website. (In the picture, translator Elina Kritzokat.) Photo: Antje Phele)

Four decades of Värttinä. Finland’s most successful world music ensemble is celebrating round numbers. But despite 12 studio albums, international accolades and “insane touring, personnel changes and inner turmoil”, the all-female trio promises we haven’t seen anything yet in an interview with Music Finland. (Photo: Värttinä)

Nordic lights illuminate Toronto’s waterfront. Anyone visiting the city between 27 January and 13 February can admire six interactive light artworks by artists from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Canada and Denmark. Finland is represented by Outi Pieski’s installation Gorži, which is inspired by the spiritual tradition of the Sami people whereby nature is equal to man. Check the event website for more details. (Photo: Brian Medina)

Compartment No 6 strikes twice. The film about strangers meeting on a train journey won two awards at Göteborg International Film Festival. The Oscar contender was awarded the Fipresci critics’ prize, and its star Seidi Haarla took home the gender-neutral best acting award, writes the Hollywood Reporter. (Photo: Sami Kuokkanen, © Elokuvayhtiö Aamu 2021)

Visit Finland has gotten a revamp. The website promoting Finland as a travel destination was redesigned based on in-depth interviews with travellers and stakeholders. The site offers user-centric digital experiences for everyone interested in travel in Finland. Check out the new site at visitfinland.com. (Photo: Pertti Turunen / Visit Finland)

Looking for a new winter boot for your kids? Megapito shoes by Finnish children’s activewear brand Reima won the kids category at the Scandinavian Outdoor Awards. “The shoes are easy to put on and off, very comfortable to wear and lightweight,” the jury praised. (Photo: Reima)