Cinema
We believe in Cinema Poetry, painted by film. Paola Ivana Suhonen (born 1974) is a multi-talented Finnish designer, artist, entrepreneur, musician and a film maker and film director. The visual world of Ivana Helsinki takes its inspiration from Paola's own strong visions, roadtrip romantics and is heavily based on her personal life experiences.
Paola's much celebrated signature style is embedded with influential Scandinavian roots; evoking memories of white arctic summer nights and the eerie hovering isolation of the notorious Nordic winters and legends of her childhood. Graphics and prints enjoy her unique mix of yester-year flavours and sophistication with a shot of contemporary charm.
Paola Suhonen is best known as a storyteller and as an atmosphere creator. Suhonen has an exceptional skill to bring out the sensitive and humane side of her subjects as well as creating strong poetic and ambient worlds. This shows in her fashion films, mood films, documentaries and fictional films.
Suhonen has also collaborated with numerous Finnish and international companies, for example; Coca-Cola, Uniqlo, Swarowski, Topshop, Google, Carrefour, Sokos Hotels, Nokia, Rovio/ Angry Birds. She has also worked with several distinguished artists like Chip Taylor, Erika Spring ( Au Revoir Simone), Shirley Manson (Garbage), Jane Weaver, Maja lvarsson ( The Sounds) and Lee Ranaldo ( Sonic Youth). Her film production customers include a wide range of large scale commercial enterprises and smaller indie brands for example: Original Sokos Hotels, Vimma, Plan International, Sanoma Magazines, Nanso Group, Kesko (Pirkka), Seppälä, Linnanmäki, Musti ja Mirri, Jacob's Creek, Neulomo etc.
For five years Paola Suhonen lived and studied in the United States (2008-2013). She finished a two-year program in New York Film Academy. While in New York she worked with various art and film projects and ran her own art space in Nolita.
After her time in New York Suhonen continued to her Master's degree program in one of the world's most recognized film schools, American Film Institute in Hollywood, Los Angeles. School's well-known alumni include David Lynch, Terrence Malick and Wally Pfister. Paola Suhonen graduated with MA, majoring in Cinematography, in 2013. The same year Suhonen was awarded with the prestigious Student Emmy price with a film she worked as cinematographer ( WINNER Student EMMY for Outstanding Drama/ also SHORTLIST 40th Student Academy Awards/ also WINNER BAFTA LA Student Film Awards -Special Jury Award).
She is specialized in alternative photography and cinematography technics and still mostly shooting on film. Her favorite format is 16mm film. Suhonen is also a member of the legendary AFI alumni Guild in Hollywood.
Suhonen directed and worked as cinematographer at her own debut feature film; 7 Heaven Love Ways. She also wrote, directed and shot numerous narrative short films. Her most recent works include a documentary film project of legendary pornstar Nina Hartley, a documentary of Finland's oldest ice swimming world champion and a TV series about sisterhood. Suhonen's next feature will be premiered in summer 2024. lt's a Road movie, about human rights and a betrayal larger than life, mentored by Jörn Donner and Rimbo Salomaa.
At the moment Suhonen is also teaching cinematography and filmmaking at the Helsinki Design School. Her music videos and art films have been premiered at the prestige Billboard video channel and in many galleries and festivals around the world. FILM& CINEMATOGRAPHY PRICES: WINNER Student EMMY for Outstanding Drama (2nd Place) SHORTLIST 40th Student Academy Awar·ds WINNER BAFTA LA Student Film Awards - Special Jury Award WINNER Grand Jury Award (Wes Craven chair), lvy Film Festival WINNER Best Graduate Film, lvy Film Festival IN COMPETITION - Student Etudes, Plus Camerimage OFFICIAL SELECTION Helsinki International Film Festival WINNER Best Cinematography, Big Bear Lake Film Festival WINNER, Best Short, Asian Film Festival of Dallas FINALIST Cine Gear Film Expo, Los Angeles OFFICIAL SELECTION NY Japan CineFest at the Asia Society OFFICIAL SELECTION Breckenridge Festival of Film etc.
See more of her works at: https://www.youtube.com/user/PaolaSuhonen
TRUE FICTION CINEMA MANIFESTO
shoot in real locations - no soundstage
shoot in chronological order - development of the emotional tension
long shots - silent moments
moments in time - not always typical drama structure
super wide cinematic shots - extreme close-ups
type casted personalities
art and poetry in visual storytelling
filters, nets, handcrafted cinematography work: real cinema is craft and art
some improvisation - there is a story, the treatment, but all the characters create the final story with their own charisma
shoot with real film
handheld, moving masters & mis-en-scenes - not coverage editing
separate music soundtrack, no scores
philosophy / ideology in the story
small crews / film family / community
every shot is composed carefully like a moving photograph
mood oriented
natural light
documentary feeling with written story - true mixed with fiction
the trip is meaningful - not only the result
green film making - not disposable - no waste of human resources
road movies & love stories - that's what life is all about
visually stunning, meaningful, emotionally remarkable, true beauty
absurd, melodramatic, camp mixture of true and scripted fiction
- Paola Suhonen, 2011 -
