MIIKKA LESKINEN: FILM EDITOR
Emmy-nominated filmmaker for In The Cold Dark Night & film editor on the Oscar and BAFTA-nominated Virunga, the Golden Globe and BAFTA-nominated The Serpent and the upcoming Disney+ fantasy series Willow.
Originally from Finland, I graduated from the National Film and Television School (UK) with an MA in Editing. I’m a member of BAFTA as well as an alumnus of EAVE, the Berlinale Talent Campus and the London Film Festival Think-Shoot-Distribute scheme. I am represented by United Agents.
My editing spans feature films, TV drama and documentaries that have won over 100 international awards. The productions have been in official competition at the Cannes Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival and Sundance Film Festival, broadcast on the BBC, HBO, Sky, ITV, Channel 4, Film4, ABC, Canal+ as well as streamed on Netflix and Hulu.
My editing on the award-winning hybrid feature The Nine Muses (dir. John Akomfrah OBE) was highly praised by the critics. David Parkinson from Empire Magazine wrote: “The mix of spoken word and music is as rich as editor Miikka Leskinen’s visual blend, which often dazzles with its audacity”. Nana Yaa Mensah from the New Statesman echoed his sentiment: “The Nine Muses is superbly edited by Miikka Leskinen”.
Virunga, a feature documentary set in the Democratic Republic of Congo during a paramilitary invasion, was directed by the Oscar-winning Orlando von Einsiedel and executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio. The film proved to be a hit with audiences and critics alike with Village Voice stating “This is one of the year’s most compelling and important films.”
The critically acclaimed Out of Thin Air had its UK cinema premiere in 2017 followed by broadcast on the BBC and a worldwide release on Netflix. Screen Daily gave the docudrama a glowing review, calling it “a fascinating compelling thriller” and that “In terms of its pacing, focus and ability to condense complex information, Out Of Thin Air starts to resemble a David Fincher film like Zodiac”.
In 2020 I co-wrote, co-directed and edited In the Cold Dark Night, a feature documentary for ABC and Sky Original Documentaries that premiered in the US in July 2020 followed by a UK broadcast in October. In 2021 it was nominated for Outstanding Writing: Documentary at the 42nd News & Documentary Emmys.
The Serpent, a BBC & Netflix drama series starring Tahar Rahim, Jenna Coleman, Billy Howle and Ellie Bamber, launched on BBC1 on New Year’s Day 2021. The series opener drew 6.2 million viewers and the show broke download records on the BBC iPlayer. I edited the acclaimed Episode 3. The Serpent was released internationally by Netflix at Easter 2021, instantly claiming the #1 spot.
Most recently I have worked on the highly anticipated epic fantasy series Willow produced by Lucasfilm and Imagine Entertainment for Disney+.
IN THE COLD DARK NIGHT
- Nominated: Outstanding Writing: Documentary – 42nd News & Documentary Emmys 2021
- Nominated: Oglethorpe Award for Excellence in Georgia Cinema – Georgia Film Critics Association 2020
THE TALWARS: BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
- Winner: Best Editor (Singapore) – Asian Academy Creative Awards 2018
- Nominated: Best Editor (Asia) – Asian Academy Creative Awards 2018
THE WITCHING HOUR
- Winner: Rising Star Award – Canada International Film Festival 2016
SMALL-TIME REVOLUTIONARY
- Film of the Month – October 2013 / Side by Side Film Festival
- Nominated: Best Short Film at Rushes Soho Shorts 2010
FIREWOOD
- Nominated: Crystal Bear at Berlin International Film Festival 2008
FRIENDS FOREVER
- Winner: Post-Graduate Drama Award at Royal Television Society Awards 2008 (shared with Marcal Fores, Eduard Grau, Natalie Ann Holt)
HOME
- Nominated: Best Editing at LA 168 Project Competition 2008
DOVE: MOSS FOLK
- Winner: Best Editing at Kodak Student Commercials 2007
FEATURES
IN THE COLD DARK NIGHT
- 2020 / Documentary Feature
- Dir: Stephen Robert Morse, Nick Hampson / Co-dir: Miikka Leskinen
- 82 min (ABC) & 87 min (Sky) / Lone Wolf Studios / Radical Media / ABC / Sky / Hulu
- Emmy-nomination for Outstanding Writing: Documentary
OUT OF THIN AIR
- 2017 / Documentary Feature
- Dir: Dylan Howitt / 85 min / Netflix / BBC / RUV / Mosaic Films / Saga Film
- Hot Docs Documentary Festival, Sheffield DocFest
- Financial Times: “A tautly constructed documentary that combines all the thrills of Scandi noir with the frisson of reality.” ✮✮✮✮✮
- Screen Daily: “Fascinating compelling thriller…In terms of its pacing, focus and ability to condense complex information, Out Of Thin Air starts to resemble a David Fincher film like Zodiac.“
- Hollywood Reporter: “Director Howitt employs a skilful mixture of archival footage, talking head interviews and gorgeously photographed, dreamlike recreations, often redolent of Errol Morris’ The Thin Blue Line.“
- Radio Times: “Superbly done…Recommended.“
- The Times: “Fascinating…full of twists and turns.“
- The Sunday Times: CRITIC’S CHOICE “A dreamy, drug laced story of a youthquake in volcano country.“
- The Independent: “Straight out of Scandi-Noir.“
- Daily Mail: “A riveting real life story.” ✮✮✮✮
- Mail on Sunday: “We’re used to European crime dramas, but here the chilling story is all too real.“
- The Guardian: “The first hand testimony…is especially harrowing.“
- Daily Telegraph: “Gripping true crime documentary.“
- The Observer: “Masterful.“
THE LAST ANIMALS
- 2016 / Documentary Feature
- Dir: Kate Brooks / 85 min / The Last Animals Ltd / Atlas Films
- Tribeca Film Festival, Hot Docs Documentary Festival
- Winner of 6 international documentary awards and 4 nominations
GENERATION RIGHT
- 2015 / Documentary
- Dir: Michelle Coomber / 43 min / Medina Films / Sheffield DocFest
- Winner of 3 international documentary awards
VIRUNGA
- 2014 / Documentary Feature
- Dir: Orlando Von Einsiedel / 98 min / Netflix / Bertha Foundation / BRITDOC / Grain Media / Violet Films / Appian Way
- Nominated for an Oscar and a BAFTA award, Winner of over 50 international film awards
- Festival Selections: Tribeca Film Festival, HotDocs, Edinburgh Int Film Festival, Sheffield DocFest
- Cinema releases in the USA and UK in 2014, global release on Netflix, November 2014
- Variety: “With enough action, pathos, suspense, venal villains, stalwart heroes and endangered gorillas for a dozen fiction films […] extraordinary.”
- NY Times: “A searing documentary set in Congo.”
- LA Times: “A work of heart-wrenching tenderness and heart-stopping suspense.”
- Hollywood Reporter: “Powerful.”
- Indiewire: “Stirring.”
SEVEN STREETS, TWO MARKETS AND A WEDDING
- 2014 / Archive Feature
- Dir: Deborah Salter / 66 min / Film London / BFI / London Screen Archives
- Cinema release in the UK in 2014
- The Independent: “Evocative and strangely moving.” ★★★★
- The Financial Times: “Lovely, melancholy, dizzying.” ★★★★
- Camden Review: “Haunting, beautiful and poignant.” ★★★★
- The Sunday Times: “Riveting.” ★★★★
- Total Film: ★★★★
A CLASS OF THEIR OWN
- 2013 / Documentary Feature
- Dir: Haryun Kim / 85 min / Summer Lotus Films / Al Jazeera English
THE FOLD (Director’s Cut)
- 2013 / Fiction / Drama
- Dir: John Jencks / 86 min / Electric Shadow Company
- Starring: Catherine McCormack, Dakota Blue Richards
THE NINE MUSES
- 2010 / Fiction / Sci-Fi / Documentary
- Dir: John Akomfrah OBE / 93 min / Smoking Dogs Films / BBC / UKFC / Screen West
- Sundance Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Karlovy Vary Film Festival, London Film Festival
- Theatrical releases in the United States and United Kingdom
MNEMOSYNE
- 2010 / Documentary / History
- Dir: John Akomfrah / 45 min / Smoking Dogs Films / UK Film Council / BBC / Screen West
- “Mnemosyne: a mind-blowing film that merges documentary and artistic essay in a way that astonishes, confounds and moves.” Ken Russell, The Times 15 Jan 2010
TELEVISION
WILLOW
- 2022 / Fantasy Adventure Series
- 8 x 45 min / Lucasfilm / Disney+ / Imagine Entertainment
A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES (S3)
- 2022 / Fantasy Drama Series
- 7 x 45 min / Sky / Bad Wolf
DOMINA
- 2021 / Drama Series
- 8 x 55min / Sky / Fifty Fathoms
THE SERPENT
- 2021 / Drama Series
- 8 x 50 min / BBC / Netflix / Mammoth Screen
ENDEAVOUR
- 2020 / Drama Series – Season 7
- 1 x 89 min / ITV / Mammoth Screen
THE TALWARS: BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
- 2017 / Documentary Series
- 4 x 45 min / HBO / Star / Make Productions
LAWLESS OCEANS
- 2016 / Documentary Series
- 6 x 50 min / National Geographic / Wall to Wall Media
WHAT DO ARTISTS DO ALL DAY: DEREK BOSHIER
- 2015 / Documentary
- Dir: Zara Hayes / 30 min / PEEK Films / BBC
- Broadcast on BBC4
PLAYING BALL
- 2015 / Fiction / Comedy
- Dir: Rachna Suri / 15 min / BBC
- Original BBC Drama Short for iPlayer, premiere in July 2015
- Pick of the Day – The Sunday Times
CHINESE LESSONS
- 2013 / Documentary
- Dir: Haryun Kim / 47 min / Summer Lotus Films / Al Jazeera English
SEE ME
- 2011 / Fiction / Drama
- Dir: Catherine Shepherd / 19 min / Quark Films / Film4
- Starring: Olivia Colman, Sophie Wu
SHORTS
MR WHIPPY
- 2019 / Fiction / Drama
- Dir: Rachna Suri / 13 min / BBC Films / Elation Pictures / Pia Pressure
JOHNNO’S DEAD
- 2016 / Fiction / Live Action / Animation
- Dir: Chris Shepherd / 8 min / ARTE France / CNC / Autour de Minuit / Polkadot
- Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, London International Animation Festival, London Short Film Festival
NAZI BOOTS
- 2015 / Fiction / Drama
- Dir: Debs Paterson / 6 min / Catsiye / Hands Up Films
- Made for the International Holocaust Memorial Day
A RESPONSIBLE GIRL
- 2014 / Fiction / Drama
- Dir: John Jencks / 12 min / Electric Shadow Company
CORVIDAE
- 2014 / Fiction / Horror
- Dir: Tom De Ville / 12 min / Wolfheart Productions / Cat & Weasel
- Starring: Maisie Williams
DON’T BLAME US COS WE’RE FAMOUS
- 2013 / Fiction / Drama / Comedy
- Dir: Amelia Hashemi / 13 min / Parkville Pictures
- Starring: Paul Brannigan, Juliet Oldfield
OUR LAD
- 2013 / Fiction / Drama
- Dir: Rachna Suri / 12 min / Peek Films / Channel 4
- Starring: Shazad Latif, Aqib Khan
TREE WITHOUT A ROOT
- 2013 / Fiction / Drama
- Dir: Rouzie Hassanova / 15 min / Hassanova Films
- Starring: Vassil Mihajlov, Stefan A. Shterev
KILL YOUR IDOLS
- 2012 / Fiction / Drama / Comedy
- Dir: Leevi Lemmetty / 15 min / Ink & Light / Finnish Film Foundation
- Starring: Lauren Byrne, Brendan O’Rourke
SOLITUDE
- 2011 / Fiction / Mystery / Fantasy / Horror
- Dir: Timothy Lems / 14 min
- Starring: Julian Shaw, Anna Black
MORNING ECHO
- 2010 / Fiction / Drama / Comedy
- Dir: Hope Dickson Leach / 15 min / Keel Films / UK Film Council
- Starring: Kerry Fox, Peter Sullivan
PAPA’S BOY
- 2010 / 3D Animation / Comedy
- Dir: Leevi Lemmetty / 3 min / Ink & Light / Breakthru Films / YLE Finland
IT’S A SERENDIPITOUS THING
- 2010 / Fiction / Drama / Mystery
- Dir: Cassius Matthias / 10 min / Zoom Films
- Starring: Anna Bondareva, Ryan Kiggell, Annette Badland
TRANSIT
- 2009 / Fiction / Drama
- Dir: Chris Roche / 7 min / Pogo Films
- Starring: John Bell, William Nadylam
JUNCTION
- 2009 / Fiction / Drama
- Dir: Afolabi Kuti / 11 min / Broedmachine
- Starring: Wayne Kaplan, Louise Lee, Justin Marosa
SUPRAMAN AND THE SCHOOL OF NECESSITY
- 2008 / Fiction / Comedy
- Dir: Debs Paterson / 15 min / Footprint Films
- Starring: Surya, H.V. Prakash, Meese Anjanappa
THE PORTRAIT
- 2008 / Fiction / Comedy
- Dir: Rouzie Hassanova / 13 min / Hassanova Films
- Starring: Jonathan Ryan, Catherine Steadman
THE CLAP DUDES
- 2008 / Animation / Drama / Music
- Dir: Tibor Banoczki / 22 min / Domestic Infelicity
- Annecy Animation Festival
WE ARE ALL RWANDANS
- 2008 / Fiction / Drama / Biopic
- Dir: Debs Paterson / 25 min / Catsiye
- Starring: Ayuub Kasaga Mago
FRIENDS FOREVER
- 2007 / Fiction / Drama / Mystery / Fantasy
- Dir: Marcal Fores / 23 min / National Film + Television School
- Starring: Sean Hart, Sean Bourke, Talulah Riley, Emma Hamilton
- Venice Film Festival, Edinburgh Film Festival, London Film Festival, Palm Springs International Shorts Fest
- Broadcast on Canal+
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
- 2007 / Animation / Comedy / Fantasy
- Dir: Joe Tucker / 12 min / National Film + Television School
- Featuring: Steve Coogan, Ian McKellen, Julia Davis
- Cannes Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, Edinburgh Film Festival, Palm Springs International Shorts Fest
- Broadcast on Channel 4
THE END FOR BEGINNERS
- 2007 / Documentary
- Dir: David Lale / 22 min / National Film + Television School
- Edinburgh Film Festival
OTHER WORK
HOLLY JOHNSON: IN AND OUT OF LOVE
- 2014 / Music Video
- Dir: Chris Shepherd / 4 min / Th1ng
TURIN BRAKES: STALKER
- 2007 / Music Video
- Dir: Ben Hilton / 4 min / Quark Films / Virgin Music
- Starring: Natalie Press, Christine Bottomley
TRACEY THORN: RAISE THE ROOF
- 2007 / Music Video
- Dir: Eduard Grau / 4 min / Quark Films / EMI Music
REMI NICOLE: FED UP
- 2007 / Music Video
- Dir: Joe Tucker / 4 min / JokeDisco / Island Records
HOT CLUB DE PARIS: CLOCKWORK TOY
- 2007 / Music Video
- Dir: Joe Tucker / 4 min / JokeDisco / Moshi Moshi Records
FEATURES
IN THE COLD DARK NIGHT
- 2020 / Documentary
- 87 min / Lone Wolf Studios / Radical Media / ABC / Sky
- Directors: Stephen Robert Morse, Nick Hampson. Co-director: Miikka Leskinen
- Writers: Miikka Leskinen, Stephen Robert Morse, Max Peltz
- Emmy-nomination for Outstanding Writing: Documentary
- Broadcast on ABC and Sky, streaming on Hulu and NOW
SHORTS
THE WITCHING HOUR
- 2014 / Fiction / Drama / Comedy / Crime
- 15 min / 65 Wilding Films / Finnish Film Foundation / Yle Finland / West-Finland Film Commission
- Starring: Niina Koponen, Pyry Nikkilä, Kaisa Mattila
- Winner: Rising Star Award at Canada International Film Festival 2016
- Helsinki International Film Festival, Grenoble Short Film Festival, Helsinki Short Film Festival, Ottawa International Film Festival, Dublin International Short Film Festival, Canada International Film Festival, Bratislava International Film Festival
- Broadcast on Yle (Finnish National Broadcaster)
ALL IN GOOD TIME
- 2011 / Fiction / Drama / Mystery
- 12 min / 65 Wilding Films / Finnish Film Foundation
- Starring: Nadine Lewington, Celyn Jones, Elizabeth Elvin
- London Short Film Festival, Belgrade Film Festival
SMALL-TIME REVOLUTIONARY
- 2010 / Fiction / Drama / History
- 18 min / 65 Wilding Films / YLE Finland / Finnish Film Foundation
- Starring: Alexander Barnes, Carol Holt, John Albasiny
- Featuring: Ian McKellen, Michael Cashman
- London Short Film Festival, Britspotting Film Festival, London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, Sydney Mardi Gras Film Festival, Los Angeles
Outfest, Rushes Soho Shorts, San Francisco Frameline Film Festival, Helsinki International Short Film Festival, Chicago Reeling Film Festival
- Broadcast on YLE Finland
FIREWOOD
- 2007 / Fiction / Drama
- 13 min / National Film + Television School
- Starring: Amy Tweed, Ashley George
- Berlin Film Festival, Drama Film Festival
MEDIA MENTIONS
“The mix of spoken word and music is as rich as editor Miikka Leskinen’s visual blend, which often dazzles with its audacity.”
David Parkinson, Empire Magazine
“The Nine Muses is superbly edited by Miikka Leskinen.”
Nana Yaa Mensah, New Statesman
“Miikka Leskinen’s film editing is an outstanding achievement in the assembly and timing of an immensely complicated visual narrative.”
John Park, Fringe Report
“Poetically edited together by Miikka Leskinen to capture intriguing aspects of the immigrant experience.”
This Week in New York
“Miikka Leskinen’s editing is simply perfect.”
Linda Cooke, Rhythm Circus
“If there were shares on offer in [Miikka] Leskinen… I’d be on to my broker with the order: buy.”
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
