Joonas Saartamo, born in Helsinki in 1980, is among the finest actors in Finland today.
Joonas graduated from Helsinki Theatre Academy in 2012.
He is known from the movies One-Way Ticket to Mombasa (2002), Beauty and the Bastard (2005), Silence (2011), The Mine (2016), The happiest day in the life of Olli Mäkiand (2016), which won the film award Un Certain Regard in Cannes.
In televison he is known from the series; Pelkovaara (2004), Protectors (2008) and Welcome To Texas, season 1 (2017).
The second series of Welcome To Texas will be screened in spring 2019.
Jonaas has one of the major supporting roles in the film success and classic story The Unknown Solider, which premiered in 2017.
Based on this story and edited material, a TV series will be screened in 2019.
He will appear in a movie being released soon - Bayoneta - a boxing drama.
Saartamo won the Jussi Statue in 2011 (The Finnish Oscar) for the best male actor in a leading role and has been nominated twice, once as the best male actor in a supporting role and once as best male in a leading role.
Joonas is also known as the hip-hop artist Jonde, previously known as Alarik.
in 2019, Joonas will play the role of Richard Wagner in the movie The Zurich Liaison
A group of middle-aged friends get together for dinner. The playful banter between couples who have known each other all their lives escalates into a adult version of the childhood game of truth or dare when no one dares to refuse the challenge. For this evening, all calls, texts, WhatsApps and other messages are public. Is it true that no one has any secrets?
When the anarchistic princess of her own life, Princess Itty Bitty is told that her little brother, who still lives in her mother's womb, is about to move into her room, she's had enough. Drawing on the wisdom of her quirky neighbor, Auntie Jenssen, Itty Bitty devises a plan and conjures the bossy grown-ups to Hilldiggle with the help of her magical dog, Sausage.
In the aftermath of a devastating rumor, Iman and his family have been forced to flee Iran. As refugees, they end up in a run-down hotel in northern Sweden. Despite feeling powerless, Iman tries to maintain his role as the family patriarch. To increase their chances of asylum, he breaks a promise to his wife and joins the local wrestling club. As the rumors start to resurface, Iman’s fear and desperation begin to take a hold.
The reception for Finland's Independence Day is rudely interrupted when the presidential palace is attacked and the state leadership is taken hostage. Max Tanner of the Security Police is appointed as a negotiator in the hostage crisis, that unfolds as part of a bigger plan to undermine European security.
Recently unemployed and feeling a little bit lost, Maria takes part in stand-up class and ends up on a competition tour for novice comedians.
Rolli and little elf girl Juniper along with the rest of the rollis and other strange creatures lead peaceful and rollishly fun lives in their flourishing Rolli Village. One day the inquisitive friends Rolli and Juniper hear incredible news from Malcolm the Maggot: somewhere far away, beyond mountains, forests and the sea, lies a place called The Beginning of All Time. That’s where the storks always take off on their trips to deliver babies in small bundles to their new homes. Rolli and Juniper cannot help but become curious. Both of them have fallen into Rolli Village in a bundle from the sky, and especially Juniper has always wondered where she came from. The two friends decide to throw themselves into a joint adventure. They embark on a trip toward The Beginning of All Time in order to find the answer to life’s greatest secret.
Summer 1962 and Olli Mäki has a shot at the world championship title in featherweight boxing. From the Finnish countryside to the bright lights of Helsinki, everything has been prepared for his fame and fortune. All Olli has to do is lose weight and concentrate. But there is a problem – he has fallen in love with Raija.
A young and ambitious civil servant Jussi finds himself being in charge of the environmental permit of a huge nickel and uranium mine in Northern Finland. The Talvivaara mine, led by a charismatic globe trotting visioner Pekka Perä is introducing an entirely new method of collecting minerals whilst creating jobs in one of the poorest areas in Scandinavia. Jussi slowly discovers that he has been led astray by several people and that the new method has serious downsides he did not forsee. The mine is causing environmental hazards that are being hushed down. A new application for another permit is brough to his table by the same mine. Along with the application comes an interesting job offer and a chance of a new beginning. Jussi has to decide whether he will play along and if so, with whom.
Jill and Joy (both 9) live in their own house like any other little girls, except that they might be a little happier than most little girls, as they get to live in their own house specifically designed for the two. One December evening a small car, barely the size of a shoebox, pulls up in front their house, and a teensy-weensy family gets out; it's the McTiny family. The family has become homeless after a road roller smashed their home. Planning to live with the girls temporarily, the family moves in with Jill and Joy but soon finds out that not all big people have good intentions towards them. Jill and Joy's Winter is based on a beloved book by the same name, written by a Finnish writer named Marjatta Kurenniemi.
Headfirst is a black comedy about a single mother with anger management problems and her teenage daughter who is always in trouble at school. With yet another school comes a new teacher and a blast from the past for the mother. Before long, an accidental pickpocket and a notoriously lousy storyteller teams up with this one dysfunctional sort of a family. Nothing is the same anymore. Headfirst is a story about missing teeth, strange friends, hidden dreams and long-gone love. And about a hare.
Juha Berg is a 30-year-old hopeless drunk in the Kallio neighborhood of Helsinki. Juha doesn't have the first intention of changing his way of life - just the opposite. He really enjoys sundry sexual relationships, adrenalin-inducing violence and, of course, alcohol for which he gets money even if by collecting bottles. But the hilarity in a drunken haze soon gets a run for its money as the passionate Juha falls in love with his AA group leader. The relationship with Tiina progresses quickly to dating and Juha has to make pivotal decisions. Juha has to begin balancing between maintaining a functional intimate relationship and his old lifestyle. Juha's best friend Kristian does his best to sabotage the relationship, and Juha's shaky decision to stay sober is further hindered by Mikael, an expert on German erotica. But how far can you go before there is only one solution left?
A buddy comedy about a fanatic small town football supporter who falls in love with a perfect girl, only to notice that his dream-girl supports the wrong football team. Now he has to befriend the enemy or forget the girl he loves.
A drama between people under unconventional circumstances. In the Second World War Finland was the only nation who brought casualties killed-in-action back to be buried at home. These actions were carried out by men and women working in assembly centres near enemy lines. Silence is a story of a group of people in a limbo between life and death, in a mental no-man's- land, where heaven and hell, horror and joy, love and fear touch each other.
The Soviet army breaks through the Finnish defences on the Karelian Isthmus in June 1944, advancing with overwhelming force. Somehow, the Finnish troops must find the strength to fight back, with all odds against them. The Battle of Tali-Ihantala was the largest battle ever fought in the history of the Nordic countries. This film depicts the true events through five separate stories.
Modern finnish movie about two very different young adults that after a chance meeting end up making music together and fall in love. While Nellis parents have the perfect career and man planned, she dreams of becoming a singer. Through a chance meeting at the studio, she meets the young and grungy Hip Hop music artist Sunen and asks him to help her make a demo tape. Not only is the ensuing story about differences growing closer and the difficulties that have to be overcome, well told. Also the music is exceptionally well made. It is quite unbelievable that this is the first feature of the director.