The Most Famous
FILM DIRECTORS from Finland
This page contains a list of the greatest Finnish Film Directors. The pantheon dataset contains 2,041 Film Directors, 6 of which were born in Finland. This makes Finland the birth place of the 39th most number of Film Directors behind Pakistan, and Norway.
Top 7
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Finnish Film Directors of all time. This list of famous Finnish Film Directors is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.
1. Aki Kaurismäki (b. 1957)
With an HPI of 68.13, Aki Kaurismäki is the most famous Finnish Film Director. His biography has been translated into 48 different languages on wikipedia.
Aki Olavi Kaurismäki (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈɑki ˈkɑu̯rismæki] ; born 4 April 1957) is a Finnish film director and screenwriter. He is best known for the award-winning Drifting Clouds (1996), The Man Without a Past (2002), Le Havre (2011), The Other Side of Hope (2017) and Fallen Leaves (2023), as well as Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989). He has been described as Finland's best-known film director.
2. Mika Kaurismäki (b. 1955)
With an HPI of 56.97, Mika Kaurismäki is the 2nd most famous Finnish Film Director. His biography has been translated into 23 different languages.
Mika Juhani Kaurismäki (Finnish: [ˈmikɑ ˈkɑu̯rismæki]; born 21 September 1955) is a Finnish film director.
3. Mauritz Stiller (1883 - 1928)
With an HPI of 54.92, Mauritz Stiller is the 3rd most famous Finnish Film Director. His biography has been translated into 26 different languages.
Mauritz Stiller (born Moshe Stiller, 17 July 1883 – 8 November 1928) was a Finnish film director of Jewish origin, best known for discovering Greta Garbo and bringing her to America. Stiller was a pioneer of the Swedish film industry, writing and directing many short films from 1912. When Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer invited him to Hollywood as a director, he arrived with his new discovery Greta Gustafsson, whose screen name Greta Garbo is believed to have been his suggestion. After frequent disagreements with studio executives at MGM and Paramount Pictures, Stiller returned to Sweden, where he died soon afterward.
4. Renny Harlin (b. 1959)
With an HPI of 54.69, Renny Harlin is the 4th most famous Finnish Film Director. His biography has been translated into 32 different languages.
Renny Harlin (born Renny Lauri Mauritz Harjola; 15 March 1959) is a Finnish film director, producer, and screenwriter who has worked in Hollywood, Europe, and China. His best-known films include A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and Deep Blue Sea. Harlin's films have grossed over $520 million in the United States and over $1.2 billion in the worldwide aggregate box office, making him the 151st highest-grossing director in the global film market as of October 2022, and the most internationally successful Finnish filmmaker in terms of revenue.
5. Jörn Donner (1933 - 2020)
With an HPI of 54.68, Jörn Donner is the 5th most famous Finnish Film Director. Her biography has been translated into 22 different languages.
Jörn Johan Donner (5 February 1933 – 30 January 2020) was a Finnish writer, film director, actor, producer, politician and founder of Finnish Film Archive. He produced Ingmar Bergman's film Fanny and Alexander, which won four Academy Awards in 1984. Donner also served in the Finnish parliament and the European Parliament, making significant contributions to both cinema and politics.
6. Edvin Laine (1905 - 1989)
With an HPI of 43.76, Edvin Laine is the 6th most famous Finnish Film Director. His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.
Edvin Laine (13 July 1905 – 18 November 1989) was a Finnish film director and actor. Laine was born Bovellán. Laine directed a comedy Aaltoska orkaniseeraa and family film Sleeping Beauty, both in 1949. The Unknown Soldier, a film Laine directed in 1955 based on Väinö Linna's novel, was a big sensation in Finland. There have later been two other film adaptations of the same novel but Laine's version remains the best known. Laine also directed another film based on Väinö Linna's book, Here, Beneath the North Star (1968), which also was a successful movie in Finland. His 1958 film Sven Tuuva the Hero was entered into the 9th Berlin International Film Festival. Three years later, his film Skandaali tyttökoulussa (English: Scandal in the Girls' School) was entered into the 2nd Moscow International Film Festival. Here, Beneath the North Star was entered into the 6th Moscow International Film Festival. His 1970 film Aksel and Elina was entered into the 7th Moscow International Film Festival. Laine was married to the actress Mirjam Novero and Martta Parkkonen. He is buried in the Hietaniemi Cemetery in Helsinki.
7. Matti Kassila (1924 - 2018)
With an HPI of 43.12, Matti Kassila is the 7th most famous Finnish Film Director. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Matti Kassila (12 January 1924 – 13 December 2018) was a Finnish film director who achieved fame as one of the most prominent Finnish filmmakers in the 1950s and 1960s. He is most famous for the series of four Inspector Palmu movies, based on the character created by Mika Waltari. During his long career, he won seven Jussi Awards, including a concrete Jussi for lifetime achievement, and received numerous other commendations. His 1959 film Punainen viiva was entered into the 1st Moscow International Film Festival. He was also one of the screenwriters for the 1968 film Here, Beneath the North Star, directed by Edvin Laine.
People
Pantheon has 7 people classified as Finnish film directors born between 1883 and 1959. Of these 7, 3 (42.86%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Finnish film directors include Aki Kaurismäki, Mika Kaurismäki, and Renny Harlin. The most famous deceased Finnish film directors include Mauritz Stiller, Jörn Donner, and Edvin Laine. As of April 2024, 1 new Finnish film directors have been added to Pantheon including Edvin Laine.
Living Finnish Film Directors
Go to all Rankings
Aki Kaurismäki
1957 - Present
HPI: 68.13
Mika Kaurismäki
1955 - Present
HPI: 56.97
Renny Harlin
1959 - Present
HPI: 54.69
Deceased Finnish Film Directors
Go to all RankingsMauritz Stiller
1883 - 1928
HPI: 54.92
Jörn Donner
1933 - 2020
HPI: 54.68
Edvin Laine
1905 - 1989
HPI: 43.76
Matti Kassila
1924 - 2018
HPI: 43.12
Newly Added Finnish Film Directors (2024)
Go to all RankingsOverlapping Lives
Which Film Directors were alive at the same time? This visualization shows the lifespans of the 3 most globally memorable Film Directors since 1700.
