According to statistics released by the Finnish Film Foundation, this year’s audience for domestic productions already exceeds last year’s numbers by over half a million. With 320,000 viewers, the children’s movie Ricky Rapper and the Bicycle Thief by Mari Rantasila was the most popular Finnish film. Arto Halonen’s Princess came in second with 230,000 viewers since its premiere in September.
Theatrically released documentaries were also on the rise. Reindeerspotting by Joonas Neuvonen, Finland’s Oscar-nominee Steam of Life by Joonas Berghäll and Mika Hotakainen, and Vesku by Mika Kaurismäki all attracted tens of thousands of movie-goers.