Martti Kaartinen is a Finnish film director, producer and screenwriter. He has been making films since the late 1980s, and his credits include several award-winning films such as Tango Cabaret (1990) and The Garden (1994). He is known for his innovative and edgy style of filmmaking.
Born in 1968, Martti Kaartinen grew up in Helsinki, Finland. He studied film at the University of Helsinki before going on to make his first feature film, Tango Cabaret, in 1990. The film was an instant success, winning awards from the Finnish Film Festival. This success was followed by the critically acclaimed The Garden (1994), which earned him a nomination for the Best Director Award at the same festival.
In the late 1990s, Kaartinen shifted his focus to television, directing and producing a number of series for Finnish television. He also directed two documentaries, The Sea of Tears (1997) and The Road to Nowhere (1999). In 2000, he released his first feature-length film in nearly a decade, the drama-thriller The Break.
In the early 2000s, Kaartinen returned to feature filmmaking with the black comedy The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (2003). The film earned him the Jury Prize at the Tampere International Film Festival and was nominated for several other awards. In 2006, he released his second feature-length thriller, The Devastation, which was favorably received by critics and audiences alike.
In recent years, Kaartinen has continued to work in television, directing and producing series such as The Bridge (2010), The Swimmer (2011), and The Village (2012). He has also written and directed several short films and documentaries. In 2013, he released his third feature-length film, the psychological thriller The Maze of Love.
Throughout his career, Kaartinen has been praised for his bold and innovative style of filmmaking. His films often explore dark themes and complex characters, and his willingness to take risks has earned him the respect of critics and audiences alike. He is a master storyteller and continues to make films that challenge and entertain.
