Finnar med pondus del 1: Aki Kaurismäki

Finnar har rykte om sig att vara egensinniga och envisa. Den finske filmskaparen Aki Kaurismäki är utan tvivel en. Genom åren har han bojkottat flera filmfestivaler där han varit nominerad. En av de
bojkottade var New York Film Festival 2003, då hans iranske
regissörsvän Abbas Kiarostami nekades visum för att få komma in i USA. Kaurismäkis klockrena motivering var då:

"Not with anger (which has never brought anything good), but with deep sorrow, I received the news that Abbas Kiarostami, a friend of mine and one of the world's most peace-loving persons, is prevented from participating the New York Film Festival because, being a citizen of Iran, he was refused a visa. I had also been invited to the festival, which is one of the best in the world. Under the circumstances I, too, am forced to cancel my participation - for if the present government of the United States of America does not want an Iranian, they will hardly have any use for a Finn. We do not even have the oil. However, what concerns me more is that if Abbas Kiarostami is being treated like this; what will happen to nameless prisoners? I consider the Geneva Convention as the last hope of mankind, and as a private citizen on Finland, I accuse the Government of the United States of violating it."