Finnish helmer Dome Karukoski, whose latest film, “Heart of a Lion” world-preemed at Toronto on Friday, is set to make his English-language debut with a biopic of groundbreaking artist Tom of Finland.
Helsinki-filmi is producing and has secured exclusive rights to all archives and images of the artist. Repped by sales agent The Yellow Affair, the film will be the first authorized biopic of Tom of Finland, whose work is part of the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) and Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).
Born in 1920, Touko Laaksonen – aka Tom of Finland — “revolutionized the image of gay men, paved the way for greater tolerance and openness (…) and has influenced such designers as Tom Ford and Jean Paul Gaultier,” among others, stated the production shingle.
“It’s impossible to overstate the impact Tom’s work has had on the image and self-image of gay men all over the world. He created the archetypes that now form an integral part of the iconography of popular culture, both gay and straight,” said Aleksi Bardy, producer and partner at Helsinki-filmi.
Casting will be announced in early 2014.
Karukoski, one of Scandinavia’s most popular young directors, has notably helmed “Lapland Odyssey” which topped the Finnish B.O. in 2010 and won a Jussi award (Finland’s top kudo) for best movie.
Karukoski’s two most recent features have premiered at Toronto International Film Festival to critical praise.
“Heart of a Lion” will open in Finland on Oct. 18.
