The most significant Finnish films include The Unknown Soldier, directed by Edvin Laine in 1955, which is shown on television every Independence Day.

It is unknown who made the first film (called Novelty from Helsinki: School youth at break), but it was shown by American Bioscope in December.

From the very beginning, Finnish film production was centered to the country's capital, although for few years starting from 1907 there was a noteworthy company Oy Maat ja Kansat producing short documentaries in Tampere.

There was also an attempt to create larger-scale film production by Erik Estlander, who build a studio with glass walls and roof in Helsinki in 1916.

At the end of the same year the Russian officials forbid all filming activity in Finland, so nothing much was made anymore before the country's independence in 1917.

[citation needed] It wasn't until the 1920s before regular film production started, thanks to a successful company called Suomi-Filmi (founded under the name Suomen Filmikuvaamo in 1919) and its creative leader Erkki Karu.

His The Village Shoemakers (1923) is the essential silent masterpiece, a freshly told folk comedy after Aleksis Kivi's play with mildly experimental camerawork by German Kurt Jäger.

Another important director at Suomi-Filmi was the aforementioned Puro, who made the company's first feature Olli's Years of Apprenticeship(1920) and one of the few Finnish horror films, Evil Spells (1927).

An interesting oddity of the last two silent years was Carl von Haartman, a soldier and an adventurer, who had worked as a military advisor in Hollywood.

Komedia-Filmi only made two films, of which the latter one, On the Highway of Life (1927, directed by Jäger and Ragnar Hartwall) is an interesting attempt to make some kind of a modern comedy.

No Tears at the Fair (1927) and The Man of Snowbound Forests (1928), two now lost films produced in Tampere by Aquila-Suomi and directed by Uuno Eskola were better attempts according to their contemporaries.

Nothing permanent production was left in Tampere, but one of Aquila's producers, painter Kalle Kaarna, proved to be a gifted director in his own right.

The first full-length sound film with song and talk was Lahyn's Say It in Finnish (1931), directed by company's leader Yrjö Nyberg (later Norta).

The first Finnish film with soundtrack was the company's Dressed Like Adam and a Bit Like Eve Too (1931), based on a popular play by Agapetus (pseudonym of Yrjö Soini).

Now he moved to Suomi-Filmi, and although his first movie there (Everybody's Love, 1935) was quite a modest comedy, it was very popular, and most importantly, introduced two of the most beloved Finnish stars to the public: Ansa Ikonen and Tauno Palo.

Hulda of Juurakko (1937) was far more serious attempt in the same field: a socially conscious story about a country girl who arrives to the big city, and who inevitably faces the problems of inequality between sexes.

Risto Jarva was inspired by the French avant-garde and new wave, which developed to social realism seen in Työmiehen päiväkirja (1967), and eventually to comedies Loma (1976) and Jäniksen vuosi (1977).

The 1960s also marked the rise of new style of Finnish comedy films under Pertti Pasanen, such as X-Paroni, About Seven Brothers and Näköradiomiehen Ihmeelliset Siekailut.

Rauni Mollberg adapted two of Timo K. Mukka's magically realistic Lapland novels to the big screen: The Earth Is a Sinful Song (1973) and Milka (1983).

[9][10] The old guard of the previous film-making generation was symbolically thrown from the throne in the beginning of 1980 by a Finnish-Soviet co-production, Borrowing Matchsticks, followed by Tapio Suominen's Täältä tullaan, elämä!.

Edvin Laine and Mikko Niskanen made their last movies, and the decade saw nearly 30 directorial debuts, including movies from Mika & Aki Kaurismäki, Markku Lehmuskallio, Pirjo Honkasalo, Taavi Kassila, Janne Kuusi, Matti Kuortti, Matti Ijäs, Olli Soinio, Lauri Törhönen, Claes Olsson, Veikko Aaltonen, and Pekka Parikka.

The Liar (1981) and The Worthless (1982), directed by Mika and written by Aki Kaurismäki, broke the status quo in Finnish film industry by bringing back creativity and small scale production.

Mika went to pursue a more traditional way of film making in his career with Klaani (1984), Rosso (1985), and Helsinki Napoli All Night Long (1987).

While Aki is best known for the Suomi-trilogy Kauas pilvet karkaavat (1996), Mies vailla menneisyyttä (2002), and Laitakaupungin valot (2006), his work also includes comedy such as Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989).

In the beginning of 21st century, Kulkuri ja joutsen (1999), Badding (2000), Rentun Ruusu (2001), Sibelius (2003), and Aleksis Kiven elämä (2002) portray the life of popular public figures in Finland.

The Man Without a Past by auteur filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki won the Grand Prix at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival.

Produced on a budget of 17 million euros, Iron Sky: The Coming Race (2019) is the most expensive Finnish live-action picture ever made.

Dogs Don't Wear Pants starring Krista Kosonen was screened at the Director's Fortnight section at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival.

Other Finnish films which were selected for the festival were documentary Ruthless Times – Songs of Care by Susanna Helke and Sihja, the Rebel Fairy by Marja Pyykkö.

[14][15][16][17] Internationally known Finnish actors and actresses include Jasper Pääkkönen, Peter Franzén, Laura Birn, Irina Björklund, Samuli Edelmann, Krista Kosonen, Kati Outinen, Ville Virtanen, Martti Suosalo and Joonas Suotamo.