The film Tom of Finland, directed by Dome Karukoski, hits theaters in Finland in February 2017.  The homoerotic boipic tells the story of Touko Laaksonen, who is best known for exaggerated, hyper-masculine drawings. His art would unarguably become the trademark expression of the leather scene the world over.

Tom of Finland depicts the post WWII oppression of queer people which influenced style, galvanized how we view sex and virility, and inspired activist's infamous works in both his native Finland and abroad. Portrayed as an activist and artist, Laaksonen's life is chronicled in the film. It focuses on his life after the draft and the period of time the young man was made to serve along Nazi officers who inspired a life-long thing for men in uniform. 

Tom's drawings of hypersexualized macho men in various uniforms and states of dress (or undress) became the hallmark of gay male culture for decades but it turns out Laaksonen’s life was just as fascinating as his artwork. Born the son of Finnish schoolteachers in 1920, The he was drafted during WWII and was made to serve as an anti-aircraft officer alongside Nazi officers. He's quoted in several places as stating a distaste for Natzi philosophy, “In my drawings I have no political statements to make, no ideology. I am thinking only about the picture itself. The whole Nazi philosophy, the racism and all that, is hateful to me, but of course I drew them anyway—they had the sexiest uniforms!” It has long been know it was the well designed uniform's of the Nazi officers who inspired this 1950's iconoclast's fascination with working men in uniform.

Laaksonen worked from the 1950's through 1973 for the Finnish advertising firm of McCann-Erickson after which he began a life in denim, surrounding himself with his art. in 1978 he first visited the US and eventually settled here in the US during the 1980's.

The original short trailer was released in September:

 The much anticipated trailer is online now:

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