Lasse Saarinen took over the management of the Finnish Film Foundation on August 1st, 2016.

Saarinen’s second term contract was just confirmed by the Board of the Finnish Film Foundation and runs to July 31st, 2026. Before joining the Foundation he was producer and CEO of Kinotar. 

Anne Brunila, Chair of the Board of the Finnish Film Foundation said: "There is a great need for Lasse's diverse experience and in-depth knowledge of the film industry in the coming years, to guide the domestic film industry through a period of transition, accompanied by challenges related to the industry's financing, internationalisation and new distribution channels." She goes on: “The Board of the Finnish Film Foundation, together with Lasse, will continue the important development work started during his term of office, to steer the activities of the Film Foundation and the entire audio-visual industry in a more diverse, socially responsible and environmentally sustainable direction.”

Saarinen said: “I thank the Board of the Film Foundation for their trust. It is a great pleasure to continue this very interesting work in support of the film and audio-visual industry. For my part, the decision to continue was made very easy by the positive and dedicated staff of the Film Foundation, with whom it is easy to do my work.”

Commenting specifically about the current Covid-19 pandemic and impact on the industry, Saarinen told nordicfilmandtvnews.com: “This year has of course been quite exhausting and there has been a lot of work in trying to find the best ways to help the film branch in Finland. Because this situation is clearly continuing at least for the first part of next year, we try to keep companies and cinemas alive through the bad times to the hopefully more normal times. The cinemas in particular are in real danger if the restrictions of the number of clients are not changed soon enough. Luckily, there is light at the end of the tunnel if vaccinations start and things normalise towards Summer.”

Saarinen is also Chair of the Board at Nordisk Film & TV Fond, for the period January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022.