Markku Tapani Pölönen (born 16 September 1957 in Eno) is a

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

film director, screenwriter, and editor; and the owner of film production company Suomen Filmiteollisuus. Pölönen's best known work is the 2004 film '' Dog Nail Clipper'' — written and directed by Pölönen — which was honoured in five categories at the 2005

Jussi Award The Jussi Awards are Finland's premier film industry prizes, awarded annually to recognize the achievements of directors, actors, and writers. History The first Jussi Awards ceremony was held on 16 November 1944 at the Restaurant Adlon in Hels ...

s (Finland's premier film awards) including Best Direction and Best Script and which film critic Jay Weissberg from ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' called Pölönen's "most mature work to date". Pölönen has received numerous additional Jussi awards, including best picture and best screenplay for ''

Onnen Maa ''The Land of Happiness'' (Finnish: ''Onnen maa'') is a 1993 Finnish comedy-drama film, set in the 1960s (when tango was all the rage in Finland), by multiple award-winning Finnish director Markku Pölönen. Plot The film stars Finnish actor Pe ...

'' (1994); best picture and best director for ''

Kivenpyörittäjän kylä ''The Last Wedding'' ( fi, Kivenpyörittäjän kylä) is a 1995 Finnish comedy film directed by Markku Pölönen. The film was selected as the Finnish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 68th Academy Awards, but was not accepted ...

'' (1995); and best picture, best director, and best screenplay for '' A Summer by the River'' (1999) Pölönen has also been nominated for two other Jussis that he did not win. Finally, many of Pölönen's films have earned best actor and best actress awards, as well.

Personal life

In Mervi Juusola's book "Levottomat aivot" (''Restless Brains''), Pölönen stated that he has mild

Asperger's syndrome Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's, is a former neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, along with restricted and repetitive patterns of behavio ...

Select filmography

References

External links

* 1957 births Living people People from Joensuu Finnish film directors Finnish screenwriters People with Asperger syndrome {{Finland-film-director-stub