Goteborg, Sweden– Dome Karukoski’s “Tom of Finland,” a biopic about Finnish artist Touko Laaksonen, a pioneering figure in late 20th-century gay culture, was received with a rowdy ovation on opening night at the 40th Goteborg Film Festival.

“Tom of Finland” chronicles the life of Laaksonen (played by Pekka Strang, “Colorado Avenue”), a pioneering artist whose work allowed him and many gays around the world to overcome homophobia and break free from oppression. The movie sheds light on Laaksonen’s conservative upbringing and depicts his life before he became a world-known artist, notably his time in the Finnish army during WWII and close relationship with his sister in Finland, where homosexuality was considered a crime from 1894 to 1971.

The film was introduced by Goteborg Film Festival’s Jonas Holmberg with a politically-minded speech. “We need to reclaim the alternative from the hate preachers.

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