Privacy Policy

This website, www.helsinkifilmlab.com (also available at www.helsinkifilmlab.fi), is edited by Helsinki Film Lab (hereinafter HFL). For any questions on this Website and its contents, or if you wish to contact HFL, please refer to the contact page.

1. Introduction

This Policy (“Policy”) sets out how We (HFL) collect and process information from which you can be directly or indirectly identified (Personal Data) when you visit our Website or interact with us through our digital offerings. It also describes how your Personal Data is used, shared and protected, the choices you have regarding your Personal Data and how you can contact us.

We may change this Policy from time to time. If we make any important changes to this Policy, then we will inform you about those changes and the date of the changes at the top of this Policy.

2. Personal Data we collect 2.1 Personal Data you give us. You may give us information, including information that can identify you (“Personal Data”), when you use our Website, correspond with us or subscribe to receive our newsletter, purchase our products or services. When we request information from you, we will collect the information contained in the relevant forms or pages. You may choose to provide additional information to us when you contact us or otherwise interact with us.

2.2 If you subscribe to receive one of our newsletters or receive other forms of direct communications from us, then you may provide us with your personal identification data, as your name, and your contact details as your e-mail address.

2.3 Personal Data we collect automatically. When you visit our Website we may automatically collect the following information: browser information as your IP address, log-in information, location information, browser type and version, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform, device from which the access is made, information about your visit including the URL clickstream to, through and from our Website, your advertising ID (if this is supported by your device), content you viewed or searched for, videos you have accessed, download errors, length of visits to certain pages, page interactions, screen resolution, device processing power and memory, playback errors and buffering issues, and unique device identifiers. We collect information automatically through the use of various technologies, including through “cookies”.

3. How we process your data and the service providers we use

Helsinki Film Lab operates the website at www.helsinkifilmlab.com.

We process personal data when you use our website, contact us, apply for a course or programme, subscribe to our newsletter, or purchase a service.

Depending on how you interact with the website, we may process information such as your name, email address, organisation, professional background, application information, billing information and other information you choose to provide.

We use selected third-party service providers where necessary to operate the website and provide our services. These may include:

Stripe, for payment processing. Payment information is processed securely by Stripe and is subject to Stripe’s own privacy practices.

Website hosting and infrastructure providers, used to host and operate the Helsinki Film Lab website and its backend services.

Email and newsletter service providers, where applicable, for sending newsletters, course information and other communications you have requested or consented to receive.

We only share personal data with service providers where this is necessary to provide our services, operate the website, fulfil contractual obligations, comply with legal requirements, or where you have given consent.

Where third-party providers process personal data on our behalf, we require appropriate data protection safeguards in accordance with applicable data protection legislation, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

4. Legal grounds for using your Personal Data

4.1 Our processing of your Personal Data will be based on a variety of legal grounds, including:

▪ (a) where you have provided your consent: for example, we require your consent in order to process your Personal Data for direct marketing activities, when using technology such as non-functional cookies (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR);

▪ (b) where we need to comply with a legal obligation: for example, we may need to disclose your Personal Data to a law enforcement agency or to your or our representatives acting in a legal dispute (Art. 6 (1) (c) GDPR; and

▪ (c) where the processing is necessary for the purposes of our legitimate interests: this includes, for example, to: (1) to provide you with the services or products you ordered from us (2) to better understand how you use our products, services and Website and to make improvements; (3) to research and analyse the products and services you want; (4) tailor our content and offers to those more relevant to your interests; (5) to remain aware of updated market practice to ensure that we are offering a service which is competitive and meets the expectations of our customers (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR).

5. How we share and disclose your Personal Data

5.1. We may share your Personal Data, as name, contact information, information on education, skills and professional experience, information about your trainings and financial information with third parties, which include third party organisations providing a service to us, third party organizations that fund our activities, or entities acting as our IT suppliers, database providers, backup and disaster recovery specialists, and other service providers necessary for improving our products and services.

5.2 We will share your Personal Data, as browsing data, with and access information from analytics and search engine providers that assist us in the improvement and optimisation of the Website for better personalisation of content.

5.3 Our suppliers, funding entities, and service providers will be required to meet our standards on processing information and security. The information we provide them, including your Personal Data, will only be provided in connection with the performance of their function. They will not be permitted to use your Personal Data for any purposes other than those outlined in this Policy.

6. How to opt in or opt out of direct marketing

6.1 Provided that We obtained your consent, We, and selected third parties that collaborate with us in the provision of our products and services to you, or organize events that may be of interest to you, may use the Personal Data you give us for direct marketing purposes to provide updates, newsletters, information about events or other communications that we think may interest you.

6.2 You may object to receiving direct marketing from us at any time by contacting us by email at the email address detailed below or selecting the unsubscribe option in our email communications.

7. Cookies and similar technologies

Helsinki Film Lab may use cookies and similar technologies that are necessary for the operation, security and functionality of the website, including features such as forms, applications and payment-related functionality.

Strictly necessary cookies do not require consent where they are essential for providing a service requested by the user.

If Helsinki Film Lab introduces analytics, marketing or other non-essential cookies or tracking technologies, these will only be activated where required after the visitor has been given appropriate information and the opportunity to provide or refuse consent.

This Privacy Policy will be updated where necessary to reflect material changes in the technologies or service providers used on the website.

8. No automated decision

No automated decision-making, including profiling, takes place.

9. Links to other websites and social media

9.1 Where we provide links to other websites, we do so for information purposes only. The other websites are outside our control and are not covered by this Policy. If you access other websites using the links provided, the operators of these websites may collect information from you which will be used by them in accordance with their privacy policy, which may differ from ours.

9.2 In some pages of our Website, third parties that provide content, applications or plug-ins through our Website may track your use of content, and plug-ins or customize content, applications and plug-ins for you.

10. Data retention

10.1 We will not retain your information for longer than is necessary for our business purposes or for legal or regulatory requirements.

10.2 If you object or opt-out of receiving direct marketing communications from us, we will remove your contact details and marketing permissions to ensure that you do not receive any future marketing communications from us. Also, we will not delete Personal Data if relevant to an investigation or a dispute. It will continue to be stored until those issues are fully resolved.

10.3 In all cases, we will continue to protect your Personal Data in accordance with the terms of this Policy. We will also routinely refresh our information to ensure we keep it up-to-date.

11. Your rights

11.1 Subject to applicable law, you may have the following rights, in certain circumstances, in relation to your personal information:

▪ (a) Right to access your Personal Data. If you wish to obtain a copy of the Personal Data that we hold about you, please contact us at the email address stated below. Before responding to your request, we may ask you to verify your identity and to provide further details about your request. We will endeavour to respond within an appropriate timeframe and, in any event, within any timeframe required by law.

▪ (b) Right to rectify, erase or restrict the processing of your Personal Data. If you wish to rectify, erase or restrict the processing of your Personal Data please contact us at the email address stated below. It is your responsibility to ensure that you submit true, accurate and complete information to us and keep this information up to date.

▪ (c) Right to withdraw consent. Where you have provided your consent to processing, you may withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us.

▪ (d) Right to object. Under certain circumstances you can object to the way we process your personal information, by emailing your request to moi@helsinkifilmlab.fi.

▪ (e) Right not to be subject to an automated decision

▪ (f) Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. You can get in touch with your local regulator if you have a complaint in relation to how we handle your personal information.

11.2 If you would like to exercise any of your rights listed above, you can contact us at the email address detailed above.

12. Information security

We apply physical, technical and administrative measures to protect your Personal Data that is under our control from unauthorised access, collection, use, disclosure, copying, modification or disposal. All information you provide to us is stored on secure servers.

13. Changes to the Policy

This Policy was last updated in October 2026. A notice will be displayed for 30 days whenever this Policy is changed in a material way.

14. Questions, Concerns and Complaints about this Policy

This Website is maintained by HFL. If you have a question, concern or complaint about this Policy or our handling of your information, you can contact us through our Website.