Draft:Veera W. Vilo

Veera W. Vilo is a Finnish actress, filmmaker and a world champion in aesthetic group gymnastics. She is best known for her roles in Bunny the Killer Thing (2015), Tuftland (2017), Free Skate (2022) and (Pri)sons (2024).

Early life and education
Before her acting career Vilo did gymnastics in the gymnastics club Olarin Voimistelijat, team Deltat. She is an aesthetic group gymnastics junior world champion 2005, senior world champion 2008 and a world cup winner 2008.

Vilo graduated from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David with a BA in Acting in 2014. Upon her return to Finland she began working in the new wave of Finnish independent filmmaking.

Career
Vilo is a lead actress, screenwriter and producer of Free Skate. Along with the film she has publicly discussed the human rights of athletes in aesthetic sports. Vilo has also said that the team was attacked by the Russian trolls after the release of the trailer. Golden Globes interviewed Vilo and her spouse, director Roope Olenius in February 2023.

Vilo has also starred in and produced the horror film Tuftland (2017) directed by Roope Olenius and arthouse-thriller Red Static (2021), directed by Sami Pöyry. She runs the film studio Bright Fame Pictures together with her spouse Roope Olenius.

Selected filmography

 * (Pri)sons (2024) - Koch
 * Free Skate (2022) - Figure Skater
 * Red Static (2021) - Maiju
 * Tuftland (2017) - Irina
 * Searching for You (2016) - Sini
 * A Man and a Woman (2016) - Waitress
 * Bunny the Killer Thing (2015) - Nina

Reception
For Tuftland (2017) Vilo has been awarded thrice as a producer. She was also nominated for Best International Female Actor at the Västerås Film Festival for her performance in the film.

The Los Angeles Times wrote about Vilo’s performance in Tuftland: "Veera W. Vilo gives a powerful performance as Irina, a lovelorn college student, who’s shocked to learn that her summer internship at a rural textile plant actually binds her to a reactionary cult, where women bow to the will of the resident male authority figures — all of whom are physically repellant and animalistic.”"

Film Inquiry wrote about Vilo’s performance in Free Skate: "A film like this is nothing without the powerful performances that drive it, and the cast has certainly risen to the challenge. Vilo is a force, effortlessly shifting from fearful to graceful, cautious to drive from one scene to the next."

The Los Angeles Times wrote about Free Skate: "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."

Film Threat praised Vilo's performance in Free Skate, and wrote that Vilo was "absolutely incredible on the ice and looks like a star."

Finland Today wrote: "The film is largely carried forward by Veera W. Vilo’s talent and devotion to her craft; her transformation from a beaming real-life personality to a shy, insecure figure skater glues you to the seat."

Finland Today also wrote about Vilo’s performance in the 2024 release (Pri)sons: "She’s one of the most adaptable Finnish actors today … capable of serious drama (watch Free Skate) and physical performance where when she’s in character you don’t want to take that hard right to the solar plexus."