Einari Paakkanen
Directing
- Born
- January 16, 1980 (age 46) · Jämsä, Finland
Einari Paakkanen is an award-winning filmmaker known for his warm, intimate, and human-centered storytelling. His films have been screened internationally at major festivals including CPH:DOX, Sheffield DocFest, and Visions du Réel. His film KARAOKE PARADISE was shortlisted for the Best Documentary at the European Film Awards and won the Jussi Award for Best Finnish Documentary. Einari holds an MA in Documentary Directing from ESCAC in Barcelona and has participated in programs such as IDFAcademy, Twelve for the Future, Ice & Fire, MFI’s Script2Film, and Berlinale Talents. In addition to directing, he has also worked as an editor, sound recordist, teacher, and festival programmer. He has served on the boards of the Finnish Documentary Guild and DocPoint ry. His latest co-directed short documentary, PUOLANKA PUSSY RALLY (2026) won the Special Prize and The European Short Film Audience Award the Tampere Film Festival.
Known for
Black Ice
October 19, 2007
Princess
September 10, 2010
Games People Play
June 25, 2020
Dirty Bomb
September 23, 2011
Karaoke Paradise
August 12, 2022
My Father from Sirius
November 11, 2016
Gimme Some Respect
June 11, 2010
Permanent Together
November 10, 2013
Forgetting Lenin
March 8, 2024
Puolanka Pussy Rally
March 4, 2026
Behind the camera16
- 2026Puolanka Pussy Rally Director, Editor
- 2026Invisible Enemy Director
- 2024Forgetting Lenin Director
- 2022Karaoke Paradise Writer, Director, Editor
- 2020Games People Play Location Scout
- 2019Cross-country Director
- 2016Where Is Thon? Writer, Editor, Director, Animation
- 2016My Father from Sirius Writer, Screenplay, Director
- 2015Promised Land Co-Writer
- 2013Permanent Together