CASSANDRA INITIATIVE

Igniting societal change through the power of cinema

Stories shape the world. Cassandra is a recent initiative and function by Demos Helsinki that bridges societal insight and the film industry to create captivating fiction. We believe that stories rooted in societal insight not only have cultural relevance but also the power to succeed.

Through Demos Helsinki’s extensive network of societal researchers and visionaries, we are constantly exposed to the silent patterns, societal shifts and emerging phenomena across societies, often ahead of public discourse. Cassandra’s mission is to translate this understanding into an additional resource for the film and TV development process and, together with production companies and partner organisations, develop them into engaging entertainment products.

On the agenda

Shaping future-facing stories that matter

Understanding how popular culture updates societal symbols

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Helping storytellers stay ahead by staying meaningful

How we can help you

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Every day, we work with brave people who want to make a change. Sometimes, priorities are not clear, or there are just too many of them.

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Examples

Yellow Film & TV

Demos Helsinki has been collaborating directly with Yellow Film & TV, a Finnish prestige production company. Out of the collaboration, a film project was born under the working title ‘BABY BOX’. It is a historical drama about the paediatrician Arvo Ylppö, whose story takes us along Finland’s rapid development from a poor agricultural nation to the welfare state and ‘happiest nation on earth’ that we know today. The development was fuelled by the ideological and institutional developments of preventative child healthcare, maternity care and the creation of the ‘baby box’ maternity kits.

Today, as our societies face immense challenges around care, the story of how Finland focused on its children is a powerful reminder of universalism and our past capacity to think outside the box. The film is currently in development.

Echobend

In 2025, we partnered with LA-based Echobend to co-create a Social Impact Entertainment slate focusing on alternative climate change narratives. Our conversation about climate change has remained stagnant for some time. We cling to established numbers and outdated symbols, whose impact has been diluted over time.

It is vital that we invest in narratives that promote positive representations of what it means to work towards a fair and just society, a net-zero society, and a climate-friendly society. Otherwise, we risk losing the public appetite for green transition and climate adaptation, and progress will be stalled or reversed.

Our experts on this theme

Mikko Annala

Managing Director (Interim)

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Vera Djakonoff

Senior Expert

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Annika Ranin

Expert

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Interested in making a change?
Drop us a line and we’ll get back to you.

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