M.A. Visa Koiso-Kanttila was born in Finland in 1970. He graduated from The Turku School of Art and Media in 1996 and studied documentary film in The New School University and Film/ Video Art in New York in 2000 – 2001. He graduated from the University of Art and Design Helsinki as M.A. in 2008.

Koiso-Kanttila founded his own production company Guerilla Films Ltd in 1999. He is also a co-member of Elephant Films Ltd – The Finnish director’s group. Visa Koiso-Kanttila has won several awards in film festivals. Visa Koiso-Kanttila directs and produces his films in co-operation with his wife and colleague Iiris Härmä.

TaM Visa Koiso-Kanttila on syntynyt Oulussa 1970. Hän on valmistunut Turun taideakatemiasta vuonna 1996 ja opiskellut dokumenttielokuvan ohjausta The New School University:ssa ja Film/ Video Art:ssa New Yorkissa sekä Taideteollisessa korkeakoulussa. Hänen dokumenttinsa ovat voittaneet useita elokuvapalkintoja. Koiso-Kanttila on myös elokuvatuotantoyhteisö Elefantin jäsen. Visa Koiso-Kanttila ohjaa ja tuottaa elokuvansa yhteistyönä vaimonsa ja kollegansa Iiris Härmän kanssa.

Filmography

MIEHEN KUVA | PORTRAIT OF A MAN – a film about longing for love
Guerilla Films 2010 (tammikuu), 81 min.
In co-operation with YLE Co-productions

Festivals: Hot Docs 2010, Toronto; DocPoint Helsinki 2010; EBS International Documentary Festival 2010, Seoul; Viscult 2010, Joensuu; DokLeipzig 2010; Artic Glory 2011, Jyväskylä; Tempo Documentary Film Festival 2011, Stockholm; Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival 2011

Awards: Honorary mention, Nordisk Panorama 2010, Bergen; Silver FIPA –award, FIPA 2011 (International Festival of Audiovisual Programs), Biarritz; Honorary Mention, Nordic Glory 2011, Jyväskylä; The Quality Prize of the Finnish Art Council 2010

MEANING OF LIFE – a poetic short film about seeking happiness
Guerilla Films 2008, 11 min.
In co-operation with YLE TEEMA Co-productions
Festivals: Queens International film Festival NY 2008, DocPoint Helsinki 2009, Tampere International Short Film Festival 2009, London International Documentary Festival (LIDF)

TALVINEN MATKA | A WINTER’S JOURNEY – a documentary film about singing and a young man in search of himself and his voice
Guerilla Films 2007, 73 min. & 58 min. versions
In co-operation with YLE Co-productions, ARTE G.E.I.E, SVT
Festivals (April 2007): Docpoint, Helsinki 2007; Tampere International Short Film Festival 2007; Hot Docs, Toronto 2007

ISÄLTA POJALLE | FATHER TO SON
– a documentary film about childhood and fatherhood
Produced by Guerilla Films in co-operation with Elephant Films 2004, 70 min. & 58 min.
International sales: Esther van Messel, First Hand Films
Broadcasters: Against Gravity Poland, EBS Doc Fest South-Korea, SVT Sweden, Noga Channel 8 Israel, Rai SAT Italy, Sogecable Spain, Portugal, Andorra; TSI Switzerland, TVC Televiso de Catalunya Spain
Awards: The Best Nordic Documentary Film 2004, Nordisk Panorama; Risto Jarva Prize – The best Finnish short / documentary film in 2004, Tampere International Short Film Festival (FIN); A Quality Prize of the Finnish Film Art Board 2004; The Best Documentary Film – Audience Award 2005, Lato Filmow, Poland
Festivals: Hot Docs 2004, Toronto; IDFA 2004, Amsterdam; Gothenburg International Film Festival 2004, Sweden; DocPoint 2004, Helsinki; Nordisk Panorama Panorama 2004, Reykjavik; “Sights of the Turn of the Century: bordering conflicts” –seminar 2004, Mexico City; Tempo 2004, Stockholm, Adelaine Film Festival 2005, Australia; Docaviv 2005, Tel Aviv 2005; Input 2005, San Francisco, USA, Guth Gafa, Ireland 2006, Seoul Documentary Film Festival, Korea 2005 etc.

VIIMEISTÄ PÄIVÄÄ | END OF THE LINE – Notes about consequences of globalisation
Produced by Guerilla Films in co-operation with Elephant Films 2000, 64 min.
Released by YLE TV2 Documentary Project, Finland, SVT Sweden, Switzerland TV
Festivals: Kettupäivät (FIN), The International Documentary Film Symposium 2001 in Latvia

AKTIVISTI | THE ACTIVIST – a documentary film about a young man’s battle for his conviction,
Produced by Mosaic Films (London) and Guerilla Films in 2000, 34 min.
Part of the Documentary Series called Eureka Eutopia released by BBC, Arte, YLE TV2 Documentary Project, SVT Sweden etc.
Festivals: Tampere International Short Film Festival (FIN), Kettupäivät (FIN), Fike 2001 (Portugal)

INSHA ALLAH – JOS JUMALA SUO | INSHA ALLAH – GOD WILLING – A documentary of two cultures meeting
Produced by Millennium Films 1999, 54 min.
Released by YLE TV2 Documentary Project
Festivals: The International Documentary Film Symposium ’99 in Latvia, Kettupäivät (FI), Tampere International Short Film Festival (FI), Beeld Voor Beeld Amsterdam, Ethno Film Festival Berlin, Gava Film Festival (Portugal), Viscult (FI), Prix Europa
Awards: Quality Prize of the Finnish Film Art Board 2000

KARKOTETUT | THE BANISHED – A documentary about neighborhood youngsters’ struggle for survival
Produced by Epidem 1998, 52 min.
Released by YLE TV2 Documentary Project, SVT Swedish Television 1, ARTE ZDF
Festivals: Nordisk Panorama, Tampere International Short Film Festival (FI), Kettupäivät (FI), Astra Film Festival (Rumania), Norvegian Short Film Festival (Norway)
Awards: A Main prize at the Tampere International Short Film Festival 1998, A Honour Prize in Kettupäivät 1998, Quality Prize of the Finnish Film Art Board 1998