It is a pleasure to bid you all welcome to Inari to participate in one of the most important
events of the polar night here. Skábmagovat is the world’s northernmost indigenous film festival, which
is arranged every year in late January some 320 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle.
Once more, Inari, a unique Arctic area, offers its best programme to the international audience that
will sit on reindeer hides in a snow theatre, under the northern sky.
The festival was created as a meeting place for Sámi and other indigenous film makers
productions. ndeed, Skábmagovat highlights the indigenous world and heritage in
a great way. Furthermore, the festival provides the residents of Inari with an opportunity of proudly inviting guests from Finland and
all around the world to get acquainted with their international and multicultural home municipality.
All the important players of Sámi culture are located within the radius of a kilometre from the heart of the festival.
The Sámi Parliament, the Sámi Museum, the Sámi Cultural Centre, the Sámi
Education Institute, the Sámi Archives, the broadcasting company Yle Sápmi and several other Sámi organisations and
associations work in this area. All of these are of great significance to the whole municipality of Inari and to its residents in
providing information, employment and recreation facilities. This is the achievement of the active players of the village of Inari
who, through their work, support the future themes that are important for the municipality. These include
promoting a diverse economic and business life, a stronger status for Sámi culture
and language, the well-being and happiness of the residents of the municipality
and increasing the degree of processing in the spheres of reindeer meat, fish and timber.
The Skábmagovat Festival is also an annual cultural event for the young people and children living in Inari.
The schoolchildren of the village attend the shows reserved for schools, but they have also, many times,
made short films for the festival at the media workshops held in connection with the festivals.
Through its Media Studies, the Sámi Education Institute has trained dozens of new professionals in the field of the
media. The Skábmagovat Festival also provides a wide audience for the films students create during their studies. In addition, the media students of the Sámi Education Institute
are engaged in the technical realisation of the event.
You are all welcome to Inari to tune into the incredible festival programme that brings the world and the storytelling tradition of indigenous peoples
into focus. Have a great time watching films!
Tommi Kasurinen
Municipal Director
Municipality of Inari
