© Jean Paul & Laurent Torno / Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis


© Samppa Erkkilä


© Samppa Erkkilä

Mika TAANILA


Nationality: Finnish

Mika Taanila (b. 1965 - Helsinki) is a filmmaker and visual artist working in the fields of documentary filmmaking, avant-garde and video art. In addition to cinematic screenings, he also shows his works in galleries and museums as film and video installations in various dimensions.

Taanila’s works have been shown at major international group shows, such as La Biennale di Venezia (2017), Aichi Triennale (2013), Documenta (2012), Shanghai Biennale (2006), Berlin Biennale (2004), Manifesta (2002) and Istanbul Biennial (2001). Solo shows include Padiglione de l’Esprit Nouveau in Bologna (2020), EMMA Espoo (2018), Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki (2013–14), Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (2013), TENT, Rotterdam (2013), Badischer Kunstverein, Karlsruhe (2008), Dazibao, Montréal (2007) and Migrosmuseum, Zurich (2005).

Taanila’s films have been screened at several international film festivals and special events including TIFF Toronto International Film Festival, IFFR Rotterdam, International Short Film Festival Clermont-Ferrand, Karlovy-Vary Film Festival, Midnight Sun Film Festival, CPH:DOX, IDFA Amsterdam, Oberhausen Kurzfilmtage, Austrian Filmmuseum, Cork Film Festival, ICA and Whitechapel Gallery in London.

Ars Fennica Award 2015 was presented to Mika Taanila.

11 MOVIES IN DISTRIBUTION

VERBRANNTES LAND
2022 / Video / color / sound / 6' 31 / 42 €
distribution: Digital file on server
  FAILED EMPTINESS. TIME
2021 / 2K / b&w / sound and silent / single screen / 13' 48 / 60 €
distribution: Digital file on server
  PATENT NR. 314805
2020 / 4K / b&w / sound / single screen / 2' 16 / 52 €
distribution: DCP on server or Digital file on server
BRANCHES - OKSAT
2017 / color / sound / single screen / 6' 00 / 42 €
distribution: DCP on server or Digital file on server
DELAY OF GAME - PELIN VIIVYTTÄMINEN
2017 / color / sound / single screen / 5' 05 / 42 €
distribution: DCP on server or Digital file on server
  THE WORLD
2017 / 2K / color / sound / single screen / 8' 00 / 40 €
distribution: Digital file on server
TECTONIC PLATE
2016 / b&w / sound / single screen / 74' 00 / 260 €
distribution: Digital file on USB stick
IHMINEN JA TIEDE
2011 / 16mm / b&w / silent / single screen / 0' 42 / 20 €
distribution: 16mm
  THE ZONE OF TOTAL ECLIPSE (double screen)
2006 / 16mm / b&w / sound / double screen / 6' 00 / 35 €
distribution: 16mm
OPTICAL SOUND
2005 / 35mm / color / sound / single screen / 7' 00 / 25 €
distribution: 35mm
  A PHYSICAL RING
2002 / 35mm / color-b&w / sound / single screen / 4' 40 / 52 €
distribution: 35mm or Digital file on server