“Between Lichen and Heaven”
A documentary exploring the Ahlskog Tannery in Ostrobothnia, the last reindeer leather tannery in Finland
The Scandinavia House invites you to a special screening and discussion of the documentary Between Lichen and Heaven with ASF Fellow Susanna Monseau and filmmaker Ruth Grimberg.
The film explores the fragile balance of livelihoods where culture, ecology, and economy are inseparably connected. Focusing on a tannery’s place in Finland’s fashion supply chain, the documentary examines how sustainability has become a defining value for textile and fashion companies—and how these industries are working to improve their practices while honoring responsibilities to both people and the planet.
About the Filmmakers:
Susanna Monseau is a professor in the School of Business at The College of New Jersey, where she teaches courses in law and policy. Before entering academia, she practiced as an Intellectual Property litigator in London, Philadelphia, and Princeton. Her research focuses on the intersection of globalization, law, and sustainability in the textile and fashion industries. In 2022, she was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study the effects of trademark law on sustainable fashion with researchers at Turku University of Applied Sciences in Finland.
Ruth Grimberg is a London-based filmmaker and photographer whose work highlights how communities find resilience amid social and political change. She has taught documentary practice at UK universities, including Goldsmiths, University of London. Her recent projects expand on her interest in environmental and sustainability issues, including this collaboration with Monseau exploring the world’s last reindeer leather tannery and its deep ties to Sámi herding traditions, Arctic ecology, and sustainability law.
Event Details
Thursday, October 23, 2025
7:00 p.m.
Scandinavia House, 58 Park Ave., New York, NY
Tickets are complimentary — [Reserve your seat here].