Saara Cantell
Saara Cantell (1968) is a freelance director and scriptwriter from Helsinki.She has directed numerous awarded short films, i.e. Portrait (2003), and TheGreat Journey (2005), a couple of TV series, and six feature films (Unna & Nuuk, 2006; Heartbeats, 2010; The Stars Above, 2012, The Two and Only, 2013, Jill and Joy, 2014 and Jill and Joy’s Winter, 2015). Her latest epoch film Devils bridewill be released in September 2016. In 2011, Saara Cantell received a doctorate in arts with a dissertation on the narrative tools in under-15-minute short films. She has been awarded with State Quality Prize as well as with the State Film Prize together with the cinematographer Marita Hällfors. She was also nominated for the Finnish ”Oscar”, Jussi-prize and selected as the Director of the year in 2010. Currently Cantell is working on an upcoming Jill and Joy film, which will be the third film in the Jill and Joy’s film series.

Director's statement
“The future of the world depends on how we treat the small ones.” Childs right to have a childhood and remain protected is easily threatened. On the other hand children sometimes wish to grow up faster and rebel against adult guardianships. This conflict is described in the film as well as the original book, through humor and right amount of excitement. Jill and Joy books are an irresistible combination of bubbly anarchism and fascinating magical realism. I wanted to keep the same balance also in the feature film”.