Draft:Roope Olenius

Roope Olenius (born 17 April 1987) is a Finnish film director, actor and producer.

2013–2016
After graduating with his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from New York Film Academy in 2013, Olenius moved back to Finland. As an actor, Olenius appeared in small roles in films and television series like Tellus (2014), Kimmo (2014), Luokkakokous (2015), Syke (2015) and Downshiftaajat (2015). Simultaneously he wrote, produced and starred in short films Bro Code (2013), Dia-cide (2013) and Choices (2016).

In 2015 Olenius played Jari in Joonas Makkonen's slasher comedy Bunny the Killer Thing (2015).

2017–2020
Olenius’ directorial debut Tuftland premiered in 2017. Based on Neea Viitamäki's stage play of the same name, the film revolves around a headstrong textile student Irina who accepts a summer job offer from an isolated and self-sufficient village of Kyrsyä. In addition to directing, Olenius also produced and wrote the screenplay for the hillbilly horror.

Tuftland won Olenius multiple awards both as a director and producer, including Best Feature Director at the Other Worlds Austin Sci-fi Film Festival, First Look Award at the Horrorant Film Festival 'Fright Nights' and Best Feature Film at the Cinemafantastique International Genre Film Fest in 2018. Austin Chronicle’s Richard Whittaker praised that the film was “part arthouse hillbilly horror, part stylized political meditation, and an excellent international addition to the year of #MeToo.”

During the years 2016-2018 Olenius appeared in Love Records: Gimme Some Love (2016), Off the Map (2016), Ihon alla (2016), Secret Lives (2018) and Uusi Päivä (2018).

2020–recent
Olenius played the role of Kai in the final season of the Finnish primetime television series Ex-Onnelliset (2016–2020) in 2020.

In director Sami Pöyry’s arthouse-thriller Red Static (2021), Olenius played the role of Jussi. Olenius acted as one of the producer’s of the film with Pöyry and Veera W. Vilo.

Olenius' second feature film Free Skate (2022) was theatrically released in Finland on November 21, 2022. Based on Veera W. Vilo’s writing, the drama thriller film revolves around a promising figure skater who flees from Russia to Finland. Olenius produced the film together with Vilo, Miikka J. Anttila and Teea Siltanen. He also played the role of Goaltender in the film.

Tony Öhberg of Finland Today praised the film to be “the Best Finnish Film of the Year.”

The Los Angeles Times noted that "the film is visually sharp and quietly absorbing, and Olenius and Vilo sensitively capture the isolation and self-doubt that can make an athlete's life so lonely."

Olenius runs a production and distribution company called Bright Fame Pictures together with his spouse Veera W. Vilo.

Filmography

 * Free Skate (2022) - Director, Producer
 * Red Static (2021) - Actor (Jussi), Producer
 * Ex-Onnelliset (2020) - Actor (Kai)
 * Tuftland (2017) - Director, Producer, Screenplay
 * Bunny the Killer Thing (2015) - Actor (Jari)

Personal life
Olenius lives in Espoo, Finland with his spouse Veera W. Vilo and their three children. Olenius has openly talked about being a long-term type 1 diabetic.