Arts & Entertainment
Tom of Finland biopic in the works
(Screenshot courtesy of YouTube)
The life story of gay erotica artist Tom of Finland will be told in a biopic by director Dome Karukoski.
According to Deadline the film will tell the story of Tom of Finland, real name Touko Laaksonen, returning to Helsinki after the war. Laaksonen faces discrimination for his homosexuality, has secret affairs and is pressured into marrying a woman. He finds solace in his sexually charged art, which portrayed men as hyper masculine figures.
“This is the story of a man ahead of his time, bravely standing up against a world virulently against his right to be who he was – a homosexual man with homosexual fantasies,” Karukoski said in a statement.
“The story shows how literally one person can create change in the world, even with something as simple as an artist’s tools,” Karukoski continued.
The cast of the film will be announced on Sunday at the Berlin Film Festival. Filming begins in Sweden this spring. The film has been sanctioned officially sanctioned by the Tom of Finland Foundation.
The Capital Pride Alliance presented the 2026 Capital Pride Honors at “The Audacity Brunch: In Full Fuchsia” at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C. on Sunday, June 7.
(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)
Out & About
Congressional Cemetery hosts Gays & Graves
Daylong Pride celebration blends history, remembrance, art and community
Historic Congressional Cemetery will host the second annual “Gays & Graves: A Big Gay Festival” on Sunday, June 14 at 11 a.m.
The event will feature pioneering activist Randy Wicker, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, and new public art installations and programs celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Gays & Graves is an official partner event of Capital Pride 2026.
This event is a daylong Pride celebration blending history, remembrance, art and community. Visitors can shop from LGBTQ+ and allied artists and makers, experience performances and interactive installations, and engage with programs exploring LGBTQ+ history and lived experience.
For more details, visit the cemetery’s website.
Baltimore Pride is underway, taking place from June 8-14.
The Pride Parade will be on Saturday, June 13 at 12 p.m. at Charles Street & North Avenue, followed by the Pride Block Party at 1 p.m. at Druid Hill Park. And then the Pride Festival will be held on Sunday, June 14 at 12 p.m. at Druid Hill Park.
There will be an array of additional events including: a fashion show, a “Suits and Sneakers” reception and a 5k race, among many other events.
For more details, visit Baltimore Pride’s website.
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