Named by IndieWire as one of 25 LGBTQ Filmmakers on the Rise, Mikko is a Finnish-British writer/director based in London. His feature directorial debut A MOMENT IN THE REEDS screened at over 80 festivals worldwide, including BFI London Film Festival, Göteborg Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival and Frameline. The film was nominated for The Discovery Award at the British Independent Film Awards as well as two Finnish Jussi awards (Best Actor & Best Supporting Actor).
His sophomore feature SEBASTIAN (BFI/Screen Scotland/Finnish Film Foundation) premiered in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at Sundance 2024.
Having moved from his native Finland to the UK for university, Mikko studied English and French literature at Nottingham University and University College London. Prior to his feature debut, he directed a number of music and fashion promos alongside working as a an editor in drama and commercials. He is an alumnus of BFI Network X BAFTA Crew, Berlinale Talents as well as BIFA Springboard.
In his films, Mikko is most interested in exploring questions of identity - telling stories about marginalised characters and individuals at odds with society, particularly within queer and migrant cinema, and is currently developing a number of projects on these themes.
Also an actor, Mikko has most recently been seen on stage in the Arcola Queer Collective’s revival of Mae West’s ‘The Drag’ as well as making an appearance in John Cameron Mitchell’s film ‘How to Talk to Girl at Parties.’
PRESS HIGHLIGHTS
Finnish director Mikko Mäkelä is defining Nordic queer cinema // VOGUE SCANDINAVIA
25 LGBTQ Filmmakers on the Rise // INDIEWIRE
Why I Made a Film About Queer Migration // THE ADVOCATE
Gay Romance Grows During A Moment in the Reeds // THE ADVOCATE
Is ‘A Moment in the Reeds’ the Finnish ‘Brokeback Mountain’? // QUEERTY
The 14 Best Queer International Films of 2018 // INDIEWIRE
The Highlights of NewFest, New York's LGBTQ Film Festival // THE ADVOCATE
LGBT Film Festival takes on immigration // THE BOSTON GLOBE
London Film Festival Shining a Spotlight on LGBT Movies // THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
The Nordic films screening at the BFI London Film Festival 2017 // CINEMA SCANDINAVIA
Don’t Miss: A Moment In The Reeds // DNA MAGAZINE
Suomalainen queer-elokuva kuvaa miesten rakkautta kesäisen luonnon keskellä – esikoisohjaus on raikas tuulahdus kotimaisessa elokuvassa // HELSINGIN SANOMAT
Mikko Mäkelä pakeni homofobiaa Britanniaan – nyt hän on tehnyt elokuvan, jossa parikymppinen suomalaismies rakastuu syyrialaiseen timpuriin mökkirannassa // HELSINGIN SANOMAT
First Finnish feature film with gay theme set for 2017 // YLE