A New Sense of Understanding

When I received the news that I was awarded the Mid-Career Professional Development Grant, I was not only overjoyed but also it immediately reflected that I had found a value-aligned community in Fulbright Finland. 

For this rare opportunity, I had two main inquiries: to bring new awareness to the filmmaking process and to explore the topic of Finnish craft practice as a map to a sense of belonging.

Bringing New Awareness to the Documentary Process

For this project, my intention was to focus on the process itself versus the final product. I was interested in exploring an approach to filmmaking emphasizing a slow pace and a close collaboration with film participants built on a foundation of trust and safety. Making documentaries creates a unique opportunity for film participants to reflect on their place in the world. 

As filmmakers we are given intimate access to people’s lives and it is our responsibility to hold that with the utmost sensitivity and respect. It is my belief that to capture the most authentic story one must first invest in creating a human relationship with their collaborators and to also release one’s expectations of what the story might be and give full attention to what is unfolding through the filmmaking experience. 

Upon reflection, it is no accident that exploring this approach was so successful here in Finland where the culture is defined by values of trust, respect, and openness.

Finnish Craft as a Map to a Sense of Belonging

Topping the World’s Happiness Report for the 8th year in a row, it is evident that Finland and its cultural values and practices are worthy of deep exploration. The film I am making, titled Her Inherent Belonging, is a character-driven documentary exploring how Finnish craft as a practice connects the maker to a sense of belonging. 

Craft offers a holistic experience often lacking in our digitally-dominated modern world. Working with one’s hands harmonizes the whole human: unifying intellect, heart, and body. Remembering our inherent wholeness reminds us of our interdependence with each other and the natural world. When we are rooted in this feeling of belonging, we are more able to contribute to creating a reality that serves the whole.

By following the lives of Finnish craftswomen from the quiet darkness of Finland’s long winter into the midnight sun of summer, the film transports audiences into the intimacy of their studios and their home forests to explore how their craft connects them to who they are. An ode to the interconnection between people, craft and place - a way of being eloquently embodied in Finland.

Personal Cross-Cultural Exchanges Builds Collective Empathy

Having authentic moments with people from different cultures is critical for developing empathy. By being a visitor, we have the potential to offer both ourselves and those we meet a unique perspective. Being outside of our home culture we have the space to reflect on our own position in the world, begging potent questions like: What assumptions do I have about myself and others? What creates the myth of separation between us?  What unifies us?

In reference to my experience of filmmaking in Finland, I was a guest in the lives of my collaborators. Moving from a place of humility and respect, this perspective of being an outsider can bring a specific value to a story. It offers the space sometimes not available to us when we are “in it” to identify what is unique about something in reference to dominant paradigms and then celebrate its value. The international exchange offered by Fulbright Finland’s programs offers grantees this invaluable opportunity to imbue their work with a deeper level of meaning that ultimately ripples out to contribute to a collective sense of understanding.

Fulbright Finland’s Mid-Career Professional Development grant not only made this film possible it also celebrated it. In the current climate, applying for grants in the arts is an act of fortitude and requires a great deal of perseverance. To receive a Fulbright grant for this project is not only an honor but also gives me the courage to trust in what I uniquely have to contribute to the world. 

It is encouraging to know that programs like this exist for professionals who are often ineligible for grant opportunities. The five-month grant period has also given me the space and materials to apply for additional funding for Post-Production and distribution of the film. During my time in Finland, I was also able to develop meaningful creative collaborations such as with Finnish music composer Aino Juutilainen and the Craft Museum of Finland.

The appreciation I have for the Fulbright Finland Foundation and the meaningful experience it facilitated is difficult to put into words. I am leaving Finland with the privilege of stewarding my collaborator’s stories and an eagerness to share this intimate window into Finnish life with wider audiences so that they may develop a new sense of understanding however big or small.

Madison McClintock
Independent Filmmaker
2024-25 Mid-Career Professional Development Grant

Her Inherent Belonging
To follow along and/or support the completion of the film:
www.madisonmcclintock.com
Instagram: @madisonamcclintock
Final film release late 2026

Read the whole Fulbright Finland News 1/2025!