Inka Rusi (she/her) is filmmaker drawn to character-led stories, guided by the belief that cinema is an art form of emotions. Her work is known for a daring yet intimate appoach, exploring themes of identity, gender and power dynamics.
With over a decade of filmmaking experience and an earlier career in fashion design, Inka brings a timeless aesthetic to every frame. She works in open collaboration with actors, building a safe and trusting space that invites emotionally resonant performances. Alongside developing and directing projects through her production company Onerva Pictures Inka directs brand films which have included renowned Nordic brands such as Neste and The Mannerheim League for Child Welfare.
She was the creative producer on the feature length documentary film BRAINWASHED: SEX-CAMERA-POWER executive produced by Tim Disney and Abigail Disney that premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2022 and went on to screen at festivals such as The Berlinale Panorama, CPH:DOX, The BFI Film festival and IDFA.
Inka graduated from the California institute of the Arts in Los Angeles with an MFA in Film Directing in 2020. She is a Fulbright and Thanks To Scandinavia Scholar. Her thesis film BIND (2021) a psychological thriller was selected to 2021 CAA Moebius Showcase.
She is a member of SELO The Finnish Film Director’s Guild and SUNKLO The Writer’s Guild of Finland. Inka also completed a year long Drama Intensive in Series Directing by YLE Lume Lab & YLE Drama in 2023.
“I'm absolutely fascinated by the messiness of the human experience. Give me stories that shove our prejudices in our faces, make us squirm a bit, and force us to rethink our values. I’m after that sweet spot where we find slivers of humanity even in the absolute darkest moments.”
IMDB
