Mikko Niskanen

Mikko Niskanen (1929-1990) was a Finnish film director, writer, producer and actor. He started his directing career in 1962 after studying film making in Moscow. His first feature film Pojat (1962) was a proof of his talent and earned him a Jussi Award for directing. During the next 12 months he also directed movies Sissit (1963) – which he won an Jussi Award for directing also – and Hopeaa rajan takaa (1963). All of these three movies were war-themed.

During the next few years he worked for TV, but returned to film industry in 1966 with his film Käpy selän alla (1966). The film became a huge success with 700,000 tickets sold to screenings. The film stays in Finnish film industry as 12th highest grossing Finnish film of the history. It was also sold to several different countries. Niskanen won a Jussi for directing.

His next two films Lapualaismorsian (1967) and Asfalttilampaat (1968) weren’t so well received, but earned him a Jussi for directing the first one. In early 1970s he directed Laulu tulipunaisesta kukasta (1971) which was everything but a success.

He made his comeback with “Kahdeksan surmanluotia” (1972) which was originally produced for TV. 5-hour movie was eventually cut to a little over two hours for a theatrical release. The film earned him two Jussis; one for directing, another one for best leading role.

Niskanen never had the same success that he had with Kahdeksan surmanluotia (1972). His other films of 1970s didn’t turn to box office hits or award winners. In the 1980s he received his sixth and last Jussi for directing for his film Ajolähtö (1982). After it, he directed also two films based on popular novels; Elämän vonkamies (1986) and Nuoruuteni savotat (1988) before his death in 1990. —IMDb