Saara Elina
- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Born into a family of classical musicians, Saara Elina Kilpinen was initially drawn to ballet at the early age of four. Training hard in her teens and early adulthood, she graduated from the Ballet School of the Finnish National Opera and Ballet. Now a professional dancer, she felt at lost and quickly left the ballet world behind. in 2008 she was accepted to study at the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York.
In AADA, she studied with Barbara Rubin, Jackie Solotar, Dino Scopas and Jackie Bartone, among others. A small town girl now living in one of the biggest cities in the world as a young artist, life was invigorating, but not without its trials. She began her professional life by auditioning, working in Off-Off-Broadway productions as well as acting in indie films and music videos, most famously in the early works of director Allie Avital. After a couple of years as a struggling actress she had her first child and decided it was time to return home.
Back in Finland, she landed a large supporting role in Sami Pöyry's Punainen kohina (2021), her very first. Little by little she began working in more mainstream film, as well as in indie film. After what she calls a vivid decade in the industry, Saara Elina's latest lead role playing Sofia in 'Johannes ei kulje Jämsän kautta (2023)' directed by Joonas Makkonen led to a nomination at the 2024 Finnish Jussi-Awards for the best breakthrough performance. Her most recent performance in Firemonkey's TV-series 'Deception (2024)' has been reviewed as "chilling".
In AADA, she studied with Barbara Rubin, Jackie Solotar, Dino Scopas and Jackie Bartone, among others. A small town girl now living in one of the biggest cities in the world as a young artist, life was invigorating, but not without its trials. She began her professional life by auditioning, working in Off-Off-Broadway productions as well as acting in indie films and music videos, most famously in the early works of director Allie Avital. After a couple of years as a struggling actress she had her first child and decided it was time to return home.
Back in Finland, she landed a large supporting role in Sami Pöyry's Punainen kohina (2021), her very first. Little by little she began working in more mainstream film, as well as in indie film. After what she calls a vivid decade in the industry, Saara Elina's latest lead role playing Sofia in 'Johannes ei kulje Jämsän kautta (2023)' directed by Joonas Makkonen led to a nomination at the 2024 Finnish Jussi-Awards for the best breakthrough performance. Her most recent performance in Firemonkey's TV-series 'Deception (2024)' has been reviewed as "chilling".
