Katariina Lillqvist

Katariina Lillqvist (born 1963) has worked as film editor, scriptwriter, producer and director for about 15 years. She has studied film both in Finland and in Czech Republic. Katariina has done mostly puppet animations, but her work also includes documentaries and features for TV and radio. 1998 she established with other professionals a production company, Film Co-operative Camera Cagliostro.

Katariina Lillqvist is probably internationally the best known Finnish animation artist. Her films have won several international prizes and awards ( e.g. Silver Bear in Berlin 1996). 16.11.2006 she got the highly acclaimed Finnish National Arts Award for her work. She works together with well known Czech animation artists in Hafan Film Studio. Before that she used to work with Jiri Trnka (1990-1996).

For years, she has been working together with YLE- TV2. Their open-minded policy for adult animation proved it´s power during the 90´s when Lillqvist created her unique style together with scenographer Minna Soukka and main composer Arkadi Kopyt.

The Kafka-thrilogy (Rider on the Bucket, The Chamberstorch and The Country Doctor) was very experimental, non-conformist and extraordinary project. Minna Soukka created new ways to describe illusionary towns, houses and rooms for the puppets - and some of her techniques quickly got many followers in Prague scenography scene too.

Katariina was doing her dramaturgy and direction work in very untraditional ways as well. Some of her Czech colleagues, mosly male, were even scared- it was so unusual to write a story about a female protagonist who was independent, powerfull and even anarchist like in the film The Maiden and the Soldier.

After all , most of Katariina´s films are however truly pacifistic like The Country Doctor. It was based on the stories and memories of the Sarajevo refugees and then dramatised into the storyline of the story by Franz Kafka.

In January 2005 well known Hollywood filmproducer Frederick Fuchs and Katariina Lillqvist made a contract of filmoption of Lillqvist´s radio documentary "The Boy of the Circus" (Orig. "Sirkuksen poika", 2002). It is about the Finnish circus performer and cosmopolite Kalle Nyman. Read more in finnish!

Filmography and prizes

• Marie, 1991, puppet animation 12´
• Rider on the bucket (orig. Hiilisangolla ratsastaja) 1992, puppet- animation, 8´

Special prize at Tampere International Short Film Festival 1992, Fox Medail Helsinki, TV Critics Award for short films, Finland.
 

• The Chamberstork (orig. Kamarihaikara) 1993 puppet animation, 9´

Special Prize at Montreal Film Festival 1994, Green Dragon at the International Short Film Festival of Cracow 1994, Award for the best animation at the Nordic Panorama 1994, Award for the best animation at the Stains International Children and Youth Film Festival 1995, Honorary mention at the Chicago Film Festival 1996.



• The Maiden and the Soldier (orig. Tyttö ja Sotamies) 1995, puppet animation, 9´

Award for the best animation at the Nordic Panorama 1995, the first prize at the Tampere Short Film Festival/National competition and also the Special Jury Prize from the same festival´s international competition 1996.



• The Country Doctor (orig. Maalaislääkäri) 1996, puppet animation, 16´

Silver Bear in the Short film category at the Berlin Film Festival 1996



• Ksenia of St Petersburg (orig. Ksenia Pietarilainen) 1999, puppet animation, 26´

Winner of the national competition at the Tampere Short Film Festival



• Thunderdrum (orig. Ukkosrumpu) 2001, documentary, 46´, 35 mm.



• The Romany Mirror (orig. Romanien Peili) 2001, puppet animation, 9´



• Tales from the Endless Road (orig. Tarinoita matkan takaa) 2002, puppet animation, 8´



• Song of the Gallows (orig. Laulu hirsipuista ) 2002, puppet animation, 9´



• Legend of the Black Sarah (orig. Mustan Saaran Legenda) 2002, puppet animation, 9´



• The Boy of the Circus (Orig. Sirkuksen poika) 2002, radio-documentary



• Balthasar´s Dog ( Balthasarin koira) 2003, puppet animation,9´



• Dear Mr. Tarzan (Arvoisa herra Tarzan)  2003, documentary, 40´, digi beta
• Various radio-documentaries for YLE Finland


All the puppet animations were shot on 35 mm.

A work in progress: We are developing the puppet animation series “The Magic Reindeer” which is based on the shamanistic folktales of the Northern folks – mainly of the Scandinavian Sámi. Read more!