Maria Ruotsala has studied fine arts in Helsinki. She was the Young Artist of the Year in 1990. Her works of art are included in the collections of Kiasma - Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki, and at Centre Pompidou in Paris. She graduated from LCP film school in London. Her films include the award-winning short films Hyper Sensitive (42’) and Rosegarden (50’). Happy Home, her TV mini-series won critical and audience acclaim, bringing her the award for Best Female Actress at the annual Venla Gala, the “Finnish Emmys”. Her 1st feature film is Apeiron, a feature film receiving widespread critical acclaim. Maria Ruotsala has been described as a talented visionary, a unique filmmaker, and one of the brightest hopes in Finnish cinema. She currently works on her feature film Black Sun and her TV series Mirdja.