Aku Louhimies (2009) Aku Louhimies (born 3 July 1968) is a

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, pr ...

and

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

. He has directed feature films, documentary films, commercials and music videos. His international breakthrough was the 2016 serial drama ''

Rebellion Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...

''. He has directed and produced the 2017 war film '' The Unknown Soldier'' which is the most expensive feature film ever made in Finland.

Education

Aku attended school in the United States, graduating from Billings West High School in Montana. After he studied history at the

University of Helsinki The University of Helsinki ( fi, Helsingin yliopisto, sv, Helsingfors universitet, abbreviated UH) is a public research university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but founded in the city of Turku (in Swedish ''Åbo'') in 1640 as the R ...

, and film directing at

University of Art and Design Helsinki A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

in Finland. Louhimies' military rank is Reserve Senior Lieutenant. He is fluent in English, Finnish, Swedish, and Spanish. December 2019 Louhimies was promoted to an officer rank of Senior Lieutenant (in reserves) by Finnish Defence Forces.

Career

Feature films

Restless Restless may refer to: *Psychomotor agitation, restlessness experienced as a result of certain medications or conditions Music * Restless Records Albums * ''Restless'' (Sara Evans album) and its title track, 2003 * ''Restless'' (Murray He ...

'' (2000) was first feature film directed by Louhimies, and after that, he has directed eight feature films, among them award-winning ''

Frozen Land ''Frozen Land'' ( fi, Paha maa) is a 2005 Finnish drama film directed and written by Aku Louhimies starring Jasper Pääkkönen, Mikko Leppilampi and Pamela Tola. The film's plot is based on Leo Tolstoy's 1911 posthumously published story "The F ...

'' (2005), war drama ''

Tears of April ''Tears of April'' ( fi, Käsky) is a 2008 Finland, Finnish war drama film directed by Aku Louhimies. Based on the novel ''Käsky'' by Leena Lander, the film is set in the final stages of the Finnish Civil War. Plot The film tells a story of a ...

'' (2008), multi-narrative drama ''

Naked Harbour ''Naked Harbour'' ( fi, Vuosaari) is a 2012 Finnish drama film directed by Aku Louhimies. Synopsis The film takes place in Vuosaari, the easternmost suburb of Helsinki, Finland. The plot revolves around several families, around which love plays ...

'' (2012) and hard-hitting crime-drama ''

8-ball Eight-ball (also spelled 8-ball or eightball, and sometimes called solids and stripes, spots and stripes or rarely highs and lows) is a discipline of pool played on a billiard table with six pockets, cue sticks, and sixteen billiard balls (a ...

'' (2013). In 2017 Louhimies worked on a World War II Drama '' The Unknown Soldier'' that had its premiere October 27, 2017 as a part of the official 100th anniversary of Finnish independence program. The film is based on

Väinö Linna Väinö Linna (; 20 December 1920 – 21 April 1992) was a Finnish author. He gained literary fame with his third novel, ''Tuntematon sotilas'' ( ''The Unknown Soldier'', published in 1954), and consolidated his position with the trilogy ''Tää ...

's acclaimed novel '' The Unknown Soldier'' from 1954. The international premiere was on 23 November 2017 at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival, followed by Ireland, Sweden, Iceland and Norway. The film was described by critics as gritty, forlorn, honest and realistic as well as a pacifist piece confronting less pleasant sides of Finnish history. The film gathered most audience of all the Finnish films in 2017. Over 1 million people saw the film in 2018 and it is still gathering audience in 2018.

Television projects

Louhimies has also directed several television projects, among others the multiple awards-winning television series ''Fragments'' (2003). In 2019 Louhimies directed a whole season of an English language thriller serie
Rig 45
which will air in 2020. Starring Rune Temte, Filip Berg, Andrei Alén and Natalie Gumede. �
Rig 45
�� is one of NENT Group’s most successful original series. In 2016 Louhimies made his international breakthrough by directing the serial drama ''

'' for Irish broadcaster RTÉ and Netflix. The five-part television mini-series depicts fictional characters in Dublin during the

1916 Rising The Easter Rising ( ga, Éirí Amach na Cásca), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with the a ...

and it was commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the

Easter Rising The Easter Rising ( ga, Éirí Amach na Cásca), also known as the Easter Rebellion, was an armed insurrection in Ireland during Easter Week in April 1916. The Rising was launched by Irish republicans against British rule in Ireland with t ...

. The 5 parts of the series are Young Guns, To Arms, Under Siege, Surrender and The Reckoning. The series premiered on

SundanceTV Sundance TV (formerly known as Sundance Channel) is an American pay television channel owned by AMC Networks that launched on February 1, 1996. The channel is named after Robert Redford's character in ''Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'' and, w ...

in the US, on April 24, 2016 and on YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Service), on June 1, 2016. The series is available on Netflix worldwide, except in Ireland and Finland.

Other projects

Aku Louhimies has also directed short films, documentaries, music videos and commercials since 1995. In 2004, Aku was elected Director of the Year by the Association of Finnish Film Directors. 2011-2014 he was the chairman of the association In 2012, Louhimies accepted the role of jury member for the first Saint Petersburg international film festival and his film ''Naked Harbour'' (''Vuosaari'') was added to the festival's non-competition programme "Screenings in honour of filmmakers".

Criticism

In March 2018 8 female actors came forward accusing director Aku Louhimies subjected them to demeaning tactics and abuse in the work. At the 2018

Jussi Awards The Jussi Awards are Finland's premier film industry prizes, awarded annually to recognize the achievements of directors, actors, and writers. History The first Jussi Awards ceremony was held on 16 November 1944 at the Restaurant Adlon in Hels ...

during his acceptance speech, after receiving the Audience Award, Louhimies apologized for his behavior and thanked everyone, who had started the process to "air the movie industry". He has also responded to the accusations in his Facebook posts.

Filmography

*''

Omerta 6/12 ''Omerta 6/12'' (in the US release as ''Attack on Finland'') is a 2021 Finnish action thriller film directed by Aku Louhimies, based on Ilkka Remes' 2006 novel '. It tells the story of an attack planned by Serb terrorists on the Presidential P ...

'', 2021 *'' The Wait'' (''Odotus''), 2021 *'' The Unknown Soldier'' (''Tuntematon sotilas''), 2017 *''

'' (''TV Mini-Series''), 2016 *''

'' (''8-pallo''), 2013 *''

'' (''Vuosaari''), 2012 *''

'' (''Käsky''), 2008 *''

Frozen City ''Frozen City'' ( fi, Valkoinen kaupunki) is a 2006 Finnish drama film directed by Aku Louhimies. Cast *Janne Virtanen - Veli-Matti * Susanna Anteroinen - Hanna *Aada Hämes - Aada * Santtu Nuutinen - Santtu *Viivi Hämes - Viivi * Jari Pehkonen - ...

'' (''Valkoinen kaupunki''), 2006 *''

Man Exposed ''Man Exposed'' (Finnish: ''Riisuttu mies'' ) is a 2006 Finnish comedy-drama film directed by Aku Louhimies about a rebel minister who is suddenly asked to run for bishop. At the same time, he is running into problems in his marriage. The film s ...

'' (''Riisuttu mies''), 2006 *''

'' (''Paha maa''), 2005 *''

Lovers & Leavers ''Lovers & Leavers'' ( fi, Kuutamolla) is a 2002 Finnish romantic drama film directed by Aku Louhimies. The film is written by Katja Kallio and Louhimies, based on Kallio's novel ''Kuutamolla: Levoton tarina rakastamisesta''. ''Lovers & Leavers'' ...

'' (''Kuutamolla''), 2002 *''

'' (''Levottomat''), 2000 The book ''Aku Louhimies — Elokuvaunelmia'' (Like, 2017) by non-fiction author Satu Jaatinen, examines the director's career from Restless to Unknown Soldier.

Selected awards

*'' The Unknown Soldier'' (''Tuntematon sotilas''), 2017 Jussi Awards 2018: Best Film - Audience Award, Best Actor, Best Sound Design, Best Editing, Best Make-up *''

'' (''Vuosaari''), 2012 Festroia International Film Festival 2012: CICAE Award *''

'' (''Vuosaari''), 2012 Nordische Filmtage Lübeck 2012: The Interfilm Church Prize *''

'' (''Valkoinen kaupunki''), 2006 Jussi Awards 2007: Best Director *''

'' (''Valkoinen kaupunki''), 2006 Ghent International Film Festival 2006: Best Director *''

'' (''Valkoinen kaupunki''), 2006 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2006: Don Quijote Award – Special Mention, FIPRESCI Prize, Label Europa Cinemas *''

'' (''Valkoinen kaupunki''), 2006 Lübeck Nordic Film Days 2006: Prize of the Ecumenical Jury – Honorable Mention *''

'' (''Paha maa''), 2005 Jussi Awards 2006: Best Director, Best Script *''

'' (''Paha maa''), 2005 Athens International Film Festival 2005: Best Screenplay *''

'' (''Paha maa''), 2005 Bergen International Film Festival 2005: Jury Award *''

'' (''Paha maa''), 2005 Göteborg Film Festival 2005: Church of Sweden Film Award, FIPRESCI Prize, Nordic Film Prize *''

'' (''Paha maa''), 2005 Leeds International Film Festival 2005: Golden Owl Award *''

'' (''Paha maa''), 2005 Lübeck Nordic Film Days 2005: NDR Promotion Prize – Honorable Mention *''

'' (''Paha maa''), 2005 Moscow International Film Festival 2005: Special Jury Prize * Irtiottoja (Fragments), 2004 Venla Awards: Best Director *''

'' (''Kuutamolla''), 2002 Durango Film Festival 2003: Jury Award Best Narrative Feature *''

'' (''Kuutamolla''), 2002 Cinequest San Jose Film Festival 2003: Best Feature His 2000 film ''

'' was entered into the

22nd Moscow International Film Festival The 22nd Moscow International Film Festival was held from 19 to 29 July 2000. The Golden St. George was awarded to the Polish-French film ''Life as a Fatal Sexually Transmitted Disease'' directed by Krzysztof Zanussi. Jury * Theodoros Angelopou ...

References

External links

The official homepage of Aku Louhimies

The Official Facebook page of Aku Louhimies
*
The Lisa Richards Agency
{{DEFAULTSORT:Louhimies, Aku Living people Writers from Helsinki Finnish film directors Finnish screenwriters 1968 births