Kari Väänänen
Kari Kyösti Väänänen (born 17 September 1953 in Ivalo) is a Finnish actor and director. Domestically he is a member of the Ryhmäteatteri group of actors. He was introduced to international audiences by Aki Kaurismäki; and belongs to the list of his "trusted" stable of... Read full bio →
Featured Characters
Roles you can spot in Whatthemovie snapshots
Napapiirin sankarit 3
In the third instalment of the franchise, Janne embarks on an epic hike, a journey of self-discovery. His dreams of a tranquil retreat into nature are quickly shattered however, when Räihänen and Kämäräinen both decide to come along for the trip.
Havukka-ahon ajattelija
Self-taught philosopher Konsta Pylkkänen guides a group of researchers through Finland's Kainuu wilderness in the hopes of having a "sinistä ajatusta", idea out of the blue. While firing upon a hybrid of the hazel grouse and the western capercaillie, kinds of birds, he indeed makes a scientific discovery.
V2 - Jäätynyt enkeli
The tough Detective Vares, get hired by a friend accused of murdering a girl. His job is to find the real killer, but people aren't talking. Before he can get traction another homicide takes place- and things move toward a dire conclusion.
Star Wreck: In the Pirkinning
The future looks bleak for Captain Pirk. Originally from the far future, he traveled back to save the world, but was shipwrecked on the 21st century. The world of the past is a dangerous place and he is finding it difficult to convince the ladies he is, in fact, an intergalactic space hero from the future.
Rukajärven tie
Set during the World War 2. In the summer of 1941 the Finnish army crosses the border of Russia. A platoon led by Lt. Eero Perkola goes through the wilderness around the Lieksa lake to search for Russian defensive positions. The platoon kills some Russian civilians and rests in a newly conquered village. There Lt.
Zugvögel - ... einmal nach Inari
Peter Lichtefelde makes a hit with his debut film Zugvögel. The film about a Finnish traveler was originally planned for the TV but would become a success in theaters.
Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses
After years of fame and misfortune in Mexico, the members of the Leningrad Cowboys decide to return to their native village. Their former manager Vladimir, who now calls himself Moses lead them on their way home.
Hobitit
J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings told from the perspective of the hobbits.
La vie de bohème
Three penniless artists become friends in modern-day Paris: Rodolfo, an Albanian painter with no visa, Marcel, a playwright and magazine editor with no publisher, and Schaunard, a post-modernist composer of execrable noise.
Zombie ja Kummitusjuna
Antti "Zombie" Autiomaa does two things well: play the bass guitar and drink. After several months' sleeping on the streets of Istanbul, he returns to Helsinki where he's called into the army but discharged on mental health grounds after adding turpentine to the officers' soup.
Night on Earth
A multi-layered film about the night life in taxi’s in different metropolitan cities. Jim Jarmusch takes us to 5 cities where people take taxi’s to meet up with each other and then when all's said and done take taxi’s to eventually go away from each other.
Leningrad Cowboys Go America
The Leningrad Cowboys, a group of Finnish musicians, and their manager, travel to America seeking fame and fortune. As they cross the country, trying to get to a wedding in Mexico, they are followed by the village idiot, who wishes to join the band.
Hamlet liikemaailmassa
A bizarre black-and-white film noir reworking of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'.
Rosso
Giancarlo Rosso, a Sicilian hit man, gets a job to kill someone in Finland, Maria. He arrives in Helsinki, buys weapons, and invades her apartment, but it's deserted. He runs into her brother Martti and, although they don't speak each other's languages, they go to search for her together.
Klaani: Tarina Sammakoitten suvusta
The great merit of film is that it never starts to moralize or give forced explanations, as is customary in many films about crimes.