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Mika Kaurismäki

Mika Kaurismäki

Director, producer and writer · Born September 21, 1955 (71) · Orimattila, Finland

Mika Kaurismäki is a Finnish director and screenwriter. He is the elder brother of Aki Kaurismäki, and the father of actresses Maria and Anna-Maija Kaurismäki . Mika Kaurismäki lived in Brazil from approximately 1992 to late 2019, but has since left he country because he disagrees with President Bolsonaro's politics.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
September 21, 1955 (71)
From
Orimattila, Finland
Works as
Director, producer and writer
Titles
11 on MovieCove · 54 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 25% in 30 days

What are Mika Kaurismäki's films like?

Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 54th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Documentary2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 83rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
34%
Self
30%
Morality
13%
Power
7%
Society
7%
Survival
5%
Ideas
5%
Romantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 11 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 8 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 3 · Charged 6 · Intense 2

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 6 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 2

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 4 · Some laughs 4 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 6 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 1

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 7 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
5
Melancholic
4
Tense
3
Absurd
3
Contemplative
2
Other
8

How their films linger

Hopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet6
  • Ambiguous1
  • Other1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Mika Kaurismäki's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 4 of their 11 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Mika Kaurismäki's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

54 credits, 11 with a MovieCove page; 2 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Amongst the Birds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Director

  • Every Note You Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Director

  • Mielensäpahoittajan rakkaustarina(2024)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Hassisen Kone stadionilla (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Director · Producer

  • Hassisen Kone 40 Years After (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

  • The Grump: In Search of an Escort(2022)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Gracious Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Writer

  • Master Cheng (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Director · Producer

  • Over the Limit(2017)

    Co-Producer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Ryhmäteatteri (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • The Girl King(2015)

    Director · Producer

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Homecoming (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

  • Kuningas Litmanen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Writer

  • Road North(2012)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Mama Africa(2011)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Brothers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Director · Editor · Idea · Producer · Writer

  • Vesku from Finland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Director

  • Haarautuvan rakkauden talo(2009)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Three Wise Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director · Dialogue · Editor · Producer · Writer

  • Sonic Mirror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Director · Writer

  • Brasileirinho (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Director

  • Welcome to São Paulo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director · Cinematographer

  • Honey Baby (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Director · Writer

  • Moro no Brasil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Director · Writer · Actor

  • Highway Society (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • VÄNÄ (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Actor

  • L.A. Without a Map(1998)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · as Michael Bambihill (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Sand Bride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Producer

  • Vaiennut kylä (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Producer

  • Danish Girls Show Everything (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director

  • Sambolico (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Director · Screenplay

  • Condition Red (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Director

  • Daughters of Yemanjá (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Producer

  • Tigrero: A Film That Was Never Made (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Writer

  • The Last Border (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Writer

  • Zombie and the Ghost Train (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Screenplay · Story

  • Amazon(1990)

    Director · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Paper Star (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director · Producer · Screenplay · Story · as Haastattelija (voice)

  • Cha Cha Cha (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Writer

  • Yötyö (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Director

  • Helsinki Napoli All Night Long(1987)

    Director · Executive Producer · Idea · Producer · Writer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Shadows in Paradise(1986)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Morena (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Assistant Director · Production Manager

  • Rosso (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • Pimeys odottaa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Producer

  • The Clan: Tale of the Frogs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director · Editor · Screenplay

  • Kello (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Editor

  • Crime and Punishment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Producer

  • Huhtikuu on kuukausista julmin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Editor

  • The Worthless (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director · Producer · Writer

  • Jackpot 2 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director · Editor · Producer · Writer

  • The Saimaa Gesture (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Director · Producer · Writer · as Self - Man in Crowd (uncredited)

  • The Liar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Director · Producer

  • Smash - Gefahr aus der Unendlichkeit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Assistant Camera

Career shape

A full career of 54 titles from 1979 to 2026.

Biggest box office

Road North (2012)

$3.2M worldwide

Highest rated

Shadows in Paradise (1986)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

The Girl King (2015)

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting4 of 54: 1 only acting, 3 with another roleDirecting41 of 54: 9 only directing, 32 with another role · typical Midcredits score54thWriting28 of 54: 1 only writing, 27 with another role · typical Midcredits score54thProducing31 of 54: 7 only producing, 24 with another role · typical Midcredits score54thCinematography1 of 54: 0 only cinematography, 1 with another roleEditing11 of 54: 2 only editing, 9 with another roleOther crew2 of 54: 2 only other crew, 0 with another role

54 titles, 32 with more than one role — directing and producing overlap on 24 of them.

By decade

1970s1 · crew1980s16 · 1 acting · 16 crew1990s11 · 1 acting · 11 crew2000s9 · 2 acting · 8 crew2010s10 · crew2020s7 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Mika Kaurismäki's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 54th percentile, the median of all 11; across their 11 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 56th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Approval · how many liked their films

52ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Reach · how many have seen their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 11

Midcredits score across 11 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th5
  • 25th to 49th3

Shape of the crowd

None of their 11 titles divides audiences: 6 are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed2

Most loved · producer

Shadows in Paradise (1986)

Midcredits 94th · 83% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 64/100 and the pacing 47/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Mika Kaurismäki work with?

People who share at least 2 of Mika Kaurismäki's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Kari Väänänen shares the most, 4.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers