Sami Kieksi
Finnish documentary filmmaker (born 1990)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sami Tapani Kieksi (born 1990) is a Finnish producer, director, and screenwriter. He is best known documentary series, including Logged In (2020) and Veitola.doc (2022–2023). Kieksi has been recognized with several national awards in Finland, including the prestigious Golden Venla. In September 2021, he received the State Award for Public Information, granted by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture.
- Director
- producer
- screenwriter
- Logged In
- Most Wanted: Teen Hacker
Sami Kieksi | |
|---|---|
Kieksi at the Golden Venla Awards, 2020 | |
| Born | 1990 (age 35–36) Finspång, Sweden |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2016–present |
| Notable work |
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| Awards | Golden Venla (2020) |
Early life
Kieksi was born in 1990.[1] He grew up in the Torne Valley in Norbotten, and comes from a Sweden Finn background. He characterized his childhood as challenging, and was exposed to violence, substance abuse, mental health problems, and neglect.[2] He noted that many of the young protagonists in his documentaries come from similarly fractured backgrounds.[3]
Career
Before his directing career, Kieksi worked as a stage actor at the Tampere Theatre and the Tampere Workers' Theatre between 2009 and 2010.[4]
Kieksi first gained national attention with the documentary series Some Deep Story, which premiered on Yle Areena in August 2016. The series explores themes of loneliness, bullying, and poverty among Finnish youth.[5]
In 2020, Kieksi directed and produced Logged In, a five-part documentary series for Yleisradio (Yle), which follows five young Finnish men who turn to online gaming as a means of coping with everyday challenges. The series generated significant public discussion in Finland, particularly around topics such as social exclusion, youth mental health, and digital identity.[6] Kieksi has expressed a desire to avoid using the term “marginalized,” instead aiming to portray individuals through their own lived experiences.[7]
In 2025, Yleisradio (Yle), released KIEKSI – Look Where You Cannot See, a six-episode documentary series named after Kieksi.[8] The series examines contemporary social issues through the lens of Finnish youth, blending personal narratives with broader societal commentary.[9]
On September 5, 2025, HBO Max will premiere Most Wanted: Teen Hacker, an international four-part documentary series written and directed by Kieksi. The series recounts the true story of a Finnish teenager, Aleksanteri Kivimäki, who was once named by the FBI as one of the most dangerous hackers in the world.[10]
Filmmaking credits
| Year(s) | Title | Episodes | Role | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–2022 | Some Deep Story | 25 | Producer, director, writer | Yleisradio |
| 2020 | Logged In | 5 | Producer, director, writer | Yleisradio |
| 2020 | Toimettomat | 5 | Producer, director, writer | Yleisradio |
| 2021 | Pilluralli – itsenäistymisen vuosi | 3 | Producer, director, writer | Yleisradio |
| 2021 | Peter Nygård: Behind the Mask[11] | 4 | Director, writer | Discovery+ |
| 2021 | On Hold[12] | 4 | Producer, director, writer | Yleisradio |
| 2022 | Tapaus Aarnio[13] | 4 | Director, writer | Discovery+ |
| 2022 | Logged In Special | 1 | Producer, director, writer | Yleisradio |
| 2022–2023 | Veitola.doc[14] | 4 | Director, writer | MTV3 |
| 2023 | Matti Nykänen – Elämä on laiffii[15] | 6 | Producer, director, writer | MTV3 |
| 2024 | Tsunami – Return to Paradise[16] | 4 | Director, writer | Nelonen |
| 2024 | Homeless – The Long Way Home[17] | 5 | Producer, writer | Yleisradio |
| 2025 | KIEKSI – Look Where You Cannot See[18] | 6 | Producer, director, writer | Yleisradio |
| 2025 | Most Wanted: Teen Hacker[19] | 4 | Director, writer | HBO Max |
Awards
- Golden Venla Awards (2020): Logged In – Best Current Affairs Programme[20] and Best New Programme[21]
- State Award for Public Information (2021): For amplifying the voices of marginalized people through documentary storytelling.[22]