CURRICULUM VITAE

Name		Liisa Helminen

Age		Born in 1950 in Turku, Finland
Address		Koivikkotie 12 As 3, 00630 Helsinki, Finland
Tel.		+358 9 6225882
Fax		+358 9 6225886
Mobile		+358 40 544 58 20
E-mail		helminen@lumifilm.fi

Education	

	Master of Arts, specialization directing (University of Applied Arts, Helsinki)

		VGIK (University of cinematography, Moscow)
		Advanced studies under Roman Karmen and Ilja Frez

		University of  Tampere, courses in media

	Most recent works

2004	Co-author and director of children’s feature film Pelicanman, a sparkling fantasy adventure with timeless, universal themes. Premiere Dec 2004, 87 min
2001	Author and director of Kurkistus kulisseihin, documentary, YLE TV1, 12 min

Award-winning Films and Children’s Culture Prize

2006	Golden Cairo – Main Prize, Cairo International Film Festival for Children / Pelicanman
	Children's International Jury Prize: Best Film, Cairo International Film Festival for Children / Pelicanman
2005	Teddy Bear – Special Price, Moscow International Film Festival for Children and Youth / Pelicanman
	First Light Young Jury Prize: Best Feature chosen by 7–11 year olds, the London Children's Film Festival / Pelicanman
	Best of the Fest, Audience Award, Chicago International Children’s Film Festival / Pelicanman
	Best Feature Film for Children, The Main Prize of the International Children's Jury, Zlín International Film Festival for Children and Youth / Pelicanman
	Finnish State Quality Award / Pelicanman
	The Spectators' Award for the Best Feature Film, Zlín International Film Festival for Children and Youth / Pelicanman
	Best Sound Design, Jussi Award (National Oscars in Finland); Paul Jyrälä / Pelicanman
	Best Production Design; Jussi Award: Jussi Halonen, Samuli Halla, Petri Neuvonen / Pelicanman
	Special Mention, The Kristiansand International Children´s Film Festival / Pelicanman
	Hand of Humanism, Honorary Prize of Viitasaari Film Week: Liisa Helminen / Pelicanman
	Best of the Festival, Audience Award, Nordic Glory Festival, Finland / Pelicanman
2004	Matti Pellonpää Award: Liisa Helminen 
2004	Small Bear Price, Oulu International Children’s Film Festival: Liisa Helminen
2002	Episode "Bubblegum Trouble" awarded at Laon International Film Festival for Young People / Tootletubs & Jyro
2001	Co-author,  supervising director and co-producer of animation series Tootletubs & Jyro (13 x 7’), 1st Prize in Laon Children’s Film Festival (France), Art’s State Prize and State Quality Prize in Finland.
2001	Producer of Tini Sauvo’s animation Mole’s Treasure, attended in competition in Berlin Film Festival, 10 min
		Producer and co-author of the animation film The Twin, 
First Animation Prize in New England Film & Video Festival, First Animation Prize in Short Film Festival in Tehran, Certificate of Honor in Tampere Short Film Festival, 6 min
1997	Co-author, Co-director, Co-Producer of the animation series Urpo & Turpo (new episodes, 7x10’). Monitoro Prize
1996	Co-author, Co-director, Co-Producer of the animation series Urpo & Turpo (6x9’). State Quality Prize, Bronze elephant, Festival for films for youth and children, India 1997
1992	Producer of the animated film The Rooster and Hen have a Sauna (State Quality Prize, Golden Cairo Prize at the Cairo Festival, Golden Elephant in Festival for films for youth and children, India) 19 min
	1991	Director of the documentary film Little Women (Silver Cairo prize at the Cairo Film Festival) 30 min
1989	Director of the documentary film The Lads (Special prize at the Tampere Festival) 30 min
		Co-director, co-author, co-producer of children's film The King who had no Heart (State Quality Prize, Jussi-statuette, Award for the best fairytale in Moscow Festival) 90 min
1978	Co-director of I've got a Tiger (State Quality Prize, Jussi-statuette, Certificate of honor at the Tampere Festival, Silver Elephant in Festival for films for youth and children, India)  16 min	
1972	Director of the documentary film Minä kehityn! (State Prize) and children's film Eppu, kehitysvammainen (Jussi statuette)
	1971	Director of children's film Tough Guys (State prize) 5 min
	1983	State Children's Culture Prize

Other film responsibilities
	
Directed and produced several other short films and long documentaries for and about children.

Assistant Director, Assistant Editor, Continuity, Camera assistant in numerous feature films.  

Other positions and activities in the film branch
	
	2003-	Chairperson of the educational committee of AVEK
	2001-03	Member of the educational committee of AVEK
	1993- 	Chairperson of the Board in Lumifilm Ltd
	1989-	Chairperson of the Board in Liisa Helminen Film Productions Oy
                   1998-99	Member of Cartoon Board of Directors General Assembly
	1989-91	Chairperson of the State Cinematics Committee & members in the Central Commission on Arts and the Children's Culture Section
	1985-88	Chairperson of the Center for Film and TV Education

Jury Member in Children’s Film Festivals in St. Malo, Moscow, Berlin, Oulu, Cairo, Tampere.
		
	Lecturer in University of Applied Arts in Helsinki and Academies of Arts in Turku, Tampere, Tuusula and Helsinki.