I am Hannaleena Hauru (she/her), a film director-screenwriter, arts educator and mentor-consultant based in Helsinki, Finland, working internationally. My career bridges active filmmaking with university-level teaching and consulting roles for cultural productions and organisations. 

Artist

As a filmmaker, I write and direct auteur fiction and television series. My films have been selected for major international film festivals, including the Venice Biennale, Cannes Critics' Week, Berlinale, SXSW, and International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR). My work includes The Boy Next Door (4 x 50 min, 2025), Fucking with Nobody (102 min, 2020), Metatitanic (50 min, 2018), Thick Lashes of Lauri Mäntyvaara (90 min, 2017), and Mercy all the way / Säälistäjät (30 min, 2014). My essential filmography is listed at the end of this page.

Arts Educator

I teach in film directing, dramaturgy, and acting for camera at the university level, including courses and thesis supervision at Aalto University and Tampere University. I also run filmmaking workshops for lifelong learning. Working actively in the film industry myself keeps my teaching practical and grounded. I perceive art teaching and learning filmmaking as a as a holistic process in which artistic, productional, social, and theoretical dimensions develop together.

Mentor and consultant

Beyond my artistic practice, I use my production experience to advise film related cultural projects and organizations. Having previously worked as a theatre producer, co-founded an international film festival, and managed EU-funded film workshops, I understand how a creative vision connects with practical production logistics. I work helping teams and individuals navigate budgets, production plans, and collaborative workflows. I specialize in analyzing how a project’s creative vision aligns with its logistics, budget parameters, and ethical frameworks, particularly when working with mixed, cross-cultural, and multidisciplinary teams.

I have graduated as Master of Arts in Comparative Dramaturgy and Performance Research at University of the Arts Helsinki and Goethe Universität in Frankfurt (2021-2023). Earlier I’ve graduated from Aalto University, ELO Helsinki Film School in 2011 majoring in screenwriting and directing (MA), and Tampere University of Applied Sciences TAMK in audiovisual producing (BA).