Filmmaker Lauri Danska grew up in a small village in Hamina, in the middle of the countryside. He played the cello in a theater, watched classic films, filmed his own stories, and dreamed of making it big. After moving to Helsinki, the doors to film school didn’t open right away, but his filming trips took him all the way from Berlin to an orphanage in Malawi. Danska established a business and gained industry experience while learning from his mistakes. Eventually, his perseverance paid off, and he was accepted into one of the industry’s most prestigious institutions, the National Film and Television School in London.

Warm-hearted and human-centered storytelling is close to Danska’s heart. His films have been screened on YLE channels and Areena, Arte France, the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the National Film and Television School, Kava, and various themed screenings.

Danska holds a Master of Arts degree, majoring in documentary film directing (National Film and Television School & Royal College of Art). His thesis film, Markku and Me (2016), was nominated for a British Independent Film Award upon its completion. His latest film, Kylmä (2022), won the Koura Award for Best Documentary of the Year.