Finnish Film Foundation’s Safer Space Guidelines

These are the safer space guidelines of the Finnish Film Foundation. They have been drafted following previous examples. We update them when necessary and as we learn new things. We have last updated this page on August 24, 2022.

The idea behind a safer space means an attempt to create practices that make everyone participating in the organization’s activities feel safe. We try to take responsibility of difficult situations and handle conflicts instead of tolerating them. We understand that it is not possible to create for certain a fully safe space for everyone, but an attempt to do so is at the core of organizing events.

As you are in contact with the Finnish Film Foundation, you have a right to an inclusive and safe environment and communication. You are responsible for your part of the safety of the space that you use with others.

Assuming and making generalizations

It is natural to make assumptions about other people, but it is important to acknowledge that and to listen and keep an open mind.

Don’t generalize your experiences to apply to others. Speak only on your experiences.

You cannot know about another person’s experience on moving in the world, their gender, sexuality, class background, life situation or identity. All differences are not visible: do not talk about minorities assuming that people who belong to them are not present.

Understand that despite good intentions, everyone makes a mistake sometimes. Take responsibility over your mistakes and apologize. Look for information, and do not assume that people who belong to minorities will enlighten you.

Respect

Be respectful of all Foundation employees and everyone you meet at the Foundation or its events. Do not question diversity, rather let people be themselves. Take into consideration differing opinions, beliefs and points of view acknowledging that indivisible human worth belongs to everyone. Recognize and acknowledge things that you do not know much about or that you don’t have experience on.

Do not harass anyone verbally, by prying on their private matters, by touching, by staring or by silencing. Respect everyone’s physical and emotional boundaries.

Events

We communicate about our events multilingually, accessibly and in different channels. We intend to make sure that the space is as accessible as possible and that everyone can see, hear or otherwise sense and participate in our events. We avoid using gendering language.

We give space for everyone to be heard, with respect to others.

Make an effort to speak in a way that everyone can follow. When possible, use language that doesn’t exclude and aim to discuss and act without attacking others.

We communicate beforehand when there is photography or filming in our events and we offer a chance to participate without being filmed or photographed. If you want to film or photograph in our events, ask for permission.

Online environments

These guidelines apply to online environments as well. Comment on the Finnish Film Foundation’s social media by using respectful language. Inappropriate comments that attack persons or groups of people will be deleted.

Who to contact if you encounter inappropriate behavior at the Finnish Film Foundation

Person in charge of customer service Helinä Kuusela: helina.kuusela@ses.fi

Every employee at the Foundation is committed to taking the feedback they receive on inappropriate behavior to the management team of the Foundation.

Anonymous feedback can be sent through our feedback form:

Give feedback

Feedback concerning these guidelines can be sent to Communications Specialist Marjo Pipinen, marjo.pipinen@ses.fi, tel. 09 6220 3020.

Sources

When drafting these guidelines, we have made use of the safer space guidelines from Culture for All Service, Ruskeat Tytöt Media and The Finnish Museum of Photography. The Foundation’s occupational health and safety committee has processed the guidelines in its meeting and the Foundation’s staff has had a chance to comment on them. We thank Inari Nikkanen for her background research.

Resources

The Foundation’s site on accountability

The Center for Occupational Safety’s site on occupational safety and wellbeing in film and audiovisual productions (in Finnish): Elokuva- ja tv-tuotantojen työturvallisuus ja työhyvinvointi

Guidelines for the prevention of sexual harassment in the film and television industries (PDF)

Guidelines for doing intimate scenes in camerawork (PDF)

Accessibility guide for cinemas (PDF)

International Sámi Film Institute’s Pathfinder Guidelines for responsible filmmaking with the Sámi people and Culture

Further Information

Source: The Finnish Museum of Photography

 

What is discrimination?

Discrimination refers to the unfair or prejudiced treatment of any group of people or individual person based on one or more of the following attributes:

  • gender
  • trans or non-binary gender expression
  • cultural or ethnic background
  • religion or other faith
  • ability
  • sexual orientation
  • age
  • nationality
  • origin
  • language
  • appearance
  • class or socioeconomic background

Discrimination can be direct or indirect, active or passive. Insufficient accessibility, harassment, sexual harassment, and inciting to discriminatory acts are all forms of discrimination.

What is harassment and inappropriate behavior?

Examples of harassment and other inappropriate conduct include aggressive pressuring, threats, bullying, isolating, and intimidating of others. Sexual harassment may refer to behaviors such as unwanted and inappropriate comments of a sexual nature, or physically approaching a person in an inappropriate way in a social setting.