Wed Sep 25 08:19:06 UTC 2024: ## Finnish Documentary Explores the Rise and Fall of “Influencers Academy”

**Helsinki, Finland** – Finnish director Jussi Sandhu’s upcoming documentary, **”But I’m No Influencer,”** offers a candid look at the world’s first-ever higher-education program for social media, launched in Tampere, Finland in 2022. The film, which is part of the Finnish Film Affair showcase, will delve into the program’s struggles and triumphs, exploring both the potential and pitfalls of social media in the age of branding.

Sandhu, who has worked alongside renowned Finnish filmmakers like Teemu Nikki and Håvard Bustness, gained unprecedented access to the program from its inception. His documentary captures the initial excitement surrounding the “influencers academy,” with Finnish influencer Joalin Loukamaa serving as the public face of the program and over two dozen international students enrolling in its first year.

However, the film also highlights the program’s challenges, particularly through the lens of Mark, a Filipino immigrant who enrolled in the program while navigating the complexities of life and work in Finland. Sandhu uses Mark’s journey as a case study, exploring how social media shapes not only individual identities but also how countries like Finland present themselves to the world.

“Everything has to be sold in today’s society,” Sandhu said to Variety. “People have to make brands about themselves and education, also, has to make a brand about itself. And actually nations have to make brands for themselves like Finland does. We need attention, and we all work under those same rules that social media has created.”

The documentary also explores the frank admissions of the program’s administrators, who were candid about their uncertainty regarding the program’s future. “They were really open about the fact that they were on the brink of something really new and exciting,” Sandhu shared.

**”But I’m No Influencer”** promises to be a thought-provoking film that examines the growing influence of social media on higher education, personal branding, and national identity.

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