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Iiti Yli-Harja

Iiti Yli-Harja

Directing

Biography

Iiti Yli-Harja (b. 1987) is a stop-motion animation artist, a documentarist and a musician. She graduated from Aalto University as Master of Arts in 2021. Her films combine documentary material with fictional elements of stop-motion animation. She often explores and celebrates human imperfection in her films: what is good enough? Her documentary puppet animation Real Men (2020) was awarded as the best short film at Helsinki International Film Festival in 2020.

Known For

Stupid Young Heart
5.6

When carefree, young Lenni and his girlfriend find themselves expecting a child, he ends up looking for a role model in all the wrong places as he becomes involved with local right-wing activists.

Stupid Young Heart

2018
Blush: An Extraordinary Voyage
7.7

For 18-year-old Finnish–Kosovan Fatu, a simple visit to the grocery store feels as nerve-racking as a lunar expedition: for the first time in his life, he’s wearing makeup in public. Luckily his best friend Rai, a young woman on the spectrum of autism, is there to ferociously support him through the voyage.

Blush: An Extraordinary Voyage

2022
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N/A

Three astronauts are turning in for the night in their spacecraft. As they lie in bed they start to recount their thoughts.

To Die in a Dream

2016
Speeding, of Course
7.5

70-year-old Timo makes the most of his short ride to work. Speeding up on a bicycle ends up in a ditch, but the adrenaline rush leaves a feeling of pleasure.

Speeding, of Course

2025
Real Men
6.0

Three guys share their thoughts and surviving methods in a strange but warm-hearted forest trip.

Real Men

2020
I Smell a Mouse
N/A

A documentary puppet animation about Iiti’s (28) moving in day. As if a sign from the universe for her poor life choices, there seems to be a nightmarish mouse lurking in the shadows of her new home. Iiti has to get rid of the mouse by whatever means necessary. She arms herself with mouse traps, lethal spray and even an ultrasonic repellant. But the nasty mouse problem just escalates and ultimately leads Iiti to a strange coincidence. Could Iiti be a mouse herself?

I Smell a Mouse

2023
All My Mom’s Phone Calls
6.0

In this warm-hearted puppet animation documentary, we get to know the filmmaker’s 54-year-old mother Maija through her phone calls. We see how she copes with the difficult things in her life, like alcoholism and autism, demanding family members, and various absurd situations that seem to follow her.

All My Mom’s Phone Calls

2021
Fish River Anthology
7.0

The supermarket is nearing its closing time, and the last customers are queuing for their turn at the fish counter. The agonizing wait offers a chance for existential reflection and a little song.

Fish River Anthology

2024
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The protagonist has no luck with animals. Each of her pets would leave her soon after they came to live under her roof. Numerous cats and dogs did not manage to avoid this curse, neither did a turtle or fish. Even a guinea pig left the unlucky aunt, together with her ex-husband. Amusing and simple cut-out animation.

All My Aunt's Pets

2019