The book by Finnish journalist Erkki Mikkonen “Being Gay in Putin’s Russia” (Homona Putinin Venäjällä) was one of six nominees for the Finlandia Prize in the documentary literature category. The winner of the country’s most prestigious literary award will be announced at the end of the month.
A personal story against the backdrop of human rights destruction
Author of the book Erkka Mikkonen — a Finnish journalist who worked as Yle’s Moscow correspondent from 2019 to 2022. In 2017, he gained international recognition when, at the Russian Foreign Ministry briefing, he asked Maria Zakharova a direct question about the persecution of sexual minorities in Chechnya:
The book published by WSOY Homona Putinin Venäjällä ("Being Gay in Putin's Russia") — is an autobiographical and documentary study of how the Kremlin regime step by step turned the lives of LGBT+ people into a deadly danger. Mikkonen speaks about his love of Russian culture and how, in his eyes, the illusion of a free country was being destroyed, while the repressive policies of the authorities deprived minorities of basic rights. Writer Sofi Oksanen described the work as "an important and engaging book on an underrepresented topic in literature about Russia."
Who else is vying for the award
The Finnish Book Foundation has announced the full list of six nominees:
- Erkka Mikkonen — Homona Putinin Venäjällä ("Being a gay in Putin's Russia") — a chronicle of repression and the struggle for minority rights.
- Sohvi Kangasluoma — Then we sailed north ("Then We Sailed North") — a documentary account of the exploration of the Arctic seas, sailing through the Northwest Passage, and climate change.
- Antti Karisto and Jussi Simpura — The History of Wellbeing ("History of Wellbeing") — a study of how the Finnish welfare state was formed and how it changed.
- Liisa Keltikangas-Järvinen — The Age of Selfishness ("The Age of Egoism") — the work of a professor of psychology on the culture of hyper-individualism and its impact on society.
- Timo R. Stewart — Why Is No One Doing Anything? ("Why Is Nobody Doing Anything?") — a study of the political, moral, and philosophical aspects of the conflict and destruction of Gaza.
- Hanna Nikkanen, Mikko Pelttari, Johannes Roviooma and Touko Hujanen — a collective work devoted to the problems and future of food production in Finland.
What Is the Finlandia Prize
The Finlandia Prize in documentary literature (Tietokirjallisuuden Finlandia) is awarded by the Finnish Book Foundation since 1989 and is considered the country's most prestigious prize for popular science and non-fiction books. The cash equivalent of the prize is 30,000 euros.
The winner's name for this year will be officially announced at the end of this month.
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