Libera’s guest of the week answers our three questions about Finland’s future.
Aleksi Bardy (b. 1970) is professor of film and television production at Aalto University, a film producer and script writer, and an entrepreneur. Bardy is the founder and partner of Helsinki-filmi Ltd. His latest work is the critcally acclaimed Lion Heart (Leijonasydän), which he has written and produced. He is known for his collaboration with director Dome Karukoski (e.g. Heroes of the Napapiiri) and for writing and producing a number of well-known Finnish films. Bardy is a member of the European Film Academy and one of Finland’s most internationally active producers. Bardy’s international main project is the biopic of Tom of Finland, which is also director Dome Karukoski’s debut in the English language market.
What is Finland’s biggest challenge?
It’s difficult to say, as there is no one “Finland” facing the same, common problems. One, big problem that touches many is the fact that our country, politically speaking, is lead by nothing and no-one. All of our societal problems could be solved, but this would require the ability and will to thoroughly and boldly change society. Wordmongering does us no good, it just makes things more confusing. We have no entrepreneurial party in Finland, just a lot of errand boys for different corporations; no modern leftist party that would use the gas pedal and not just the breaks. So when no-one leads anywhere, we are drifting in the wind. How can you solve problems under these circumstances?
What is Finland’s biggest opportunity?
Finns are an amazing people! Healthy, educated, less prejudiced than our reputation would have you believe and eager to do their work as well as possible. We have a safe operational environment and a smart crowd. The harder the job, the better we do it. Therefore, Finland’s biggest opportunity is a continuously healthy nation that produces something entirely new from its considerable assets from cellulose to cellphones and now from cellphones to games. Our entire nations belongs the the elite and as such our power in science and the arts as well as in lesser branches of human action, such as economics, is far greater than our share of the world’s population would call for.
What single thing would you change right now?
Finalnd is a success story based on free education, good social security and an equal society – a big, strong and good nation. All of this is threatened because of tax refugeeism. The grey economy of the finance sector is a larger problem than other crimes against property put together. The true free-riders are sitting in black cars. To hide your ownership from the tax authorities is stealing. Success and its taxation are a joy and civic duty I would like to see everyone brag about. I would dismantle nominee registers and other walls built to protect tax fugitives, ban public orders from tax haven corporations and let the police officers investigating these crimes have enough resources.
Guest of the week