Petri Jokiranta

Biography

Petri Jokiranta is a Finnish film producer and screenwriter, best known for championing and producing internationally successful genre films, particularly in collaboration with director Jalmari Helander.

Biography and Early Career

Born in 1965, Jokiranta pursued his education at the National Film School in Helsinki, specializing in production, and also studied Theatre Research at the University of Helsinki. Early in his career, he worked as a Production Consultant at the Finnish Film Foundation between 1996 and 2000, where he supported over a hundred film productions.

He later became an active producer, co-owning Blind Spot Pictures for a time. His notable early feature film credits as a producer include Producing Adults (2004), which was Finland's Oscar nominee that year, and the martial arts fantasy film Jade Warrior (2006). He has also worked as a screenwriter on several projects, including Jade Warrior.

Collaboration with Jalmari Helander

Jokiranta’s most globally recognized work is his long-term partnership with writer-director Jalmari Helander. Their collaboration has been instrumental in creating Finnish films with broad international market appeal.

The key feature films they have produced together are:

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010): A dark fantasy film based on Helander's short films, which became an international success and established the team in the genre film market. Jokiranta’s company picked up the rights and helped develop the feature-length concept.

Big Game (2014): An action-adventure film featuring an A-list international cast, which was a significant step toward making larger, English-language projects. Jokiranta is also credited as a Story Creator and Producer on this film.

Sisu (2022): A historical action thriller set during WWII, which achieved significant box office success, especially in the US, and secured a worldwide distribution deal with a major American studio.

Sisu: Road to Revenge (2025): The planned sequel to Sisu.

Jokiranta is known for his strategic approach to film financing and distribution, focusing on securing international partners and ensuring their films are positioned for global release. His success in bringing Finnish-majority-produced independent films to the international stage led him and Helander to be recognized with the Finnish State Prize for Cinematography in 2011.