There are black people everywhere… even in Finland (tongue firmly planted in cheek).

Get to know Wanjiku wa Ngugi, the founder and director of the Helsinki African Film Festival, which runs from May 12th to the 15th – this Thursday through Sunday.

It’s only in its second year, by the way, though I’m only just now hearing about it. Apparently, its first installment, held last may, was a big success; according to Ms Ngugi, there’s a lot of Finnish interest in seeing contemporary and varied representations of Africa, as almost all the film screenings were sold out.

This year’s lineup includes a few titles we’ve previously covered on this site, like The Figurine, Sisters In Law, From A Whisper, Les Saignantes, and more. The full lineup can be found HERE.

In an interview with the African Women In Cinema Blog, posted yesterday, Ms Ngugi, originally from Kenya, talks about the festival (with this year’s theme being “Women’s Voices and Visions”), as well as discusses African representation in Finnish media, and the expected cultural role the festival can play in the country.

Read the full interview HERE.