Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1976-07-21
- Born Place: Helsinki, Finland
Also Known As:
Jalmari Helander, جالماري هيلاندير
Jalmari Helander
Jalmari Helander (born July 21, 1976) is a Finnish screenwriter and film director known for his distinctive style that often blends action, dark comedy, and genre film elements. Despite being reportedly rejected from film school, he built his career by directing numerous short films, music videos, and award-winning television commercials. His breakout feature film was the 2010 Christmas horror-fantasy, Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale, which was an international success and earned him the Jussi Award for Best Art Direction. He followed this with the 2014 action-adventure film Big Game, which starred Samuel L. Jackson and marked the highest film budget in Finnish history at the time. Helander achieved further international acclaim with his 2022 World War II action film, Sisu, and its subsequent 2025 sequel Sisu: Road to Revenge. He frequently collaborates with a core group of Finnish talent, including his brother-in-law, actor Jorma Tommila, and his nephew, actor Onni Tommila. His success has led to him being tapped for major international projects, including directing John Rambo, an upcoming prequel to the classic Rambo film series.
