Markus Lehmusruusu (born 1983) is a Finnish film director and screenwriter. He is known for the feature films Ricky Rapper and the Strongman (2019) and The Squirrel (2026), and the short film Miss Zahra (2015).
Early life and education Lehmusruusu studied film directing at the University of Art and Design Helsinki (Taideteollinen korkeakoulu), which later became part of Aalto University, graduating in 2015.
Career
Short films and early work Lehmusruusu's short film Miss Zahra (2015), produced by Mjölk Movies, had its world premiere at the Palm Springs International ShortFest and screened at the Moscow International Film Festival. In 2016, the film received a 10,000-euro quality grant (laatutuki) from Finland's State Audiovisual Art Committee, operating under the Arts Promotion Centre Finland.
His short film Puita ja semmosia (2011) won the Best Fiction award at the Artova Film Festival in 2011 and screened in competition at the Nordisk Panorama film festival in Aarhus, Denmark. It also received a special jury mention at the Castellinaria cinema festival in Bellinzona, Switzerland, in 2012.
Television Lehmusruusu directed episodes 5–12 of the first season (2020) of the Yle drama series Kakarat, with episodes 1–4 directed by Juho Kuosmanen.
He also co-directed the eight-episode mystery series Lovi (2021) with Miia Tervo for Yle; the series was among the international finalists in the 11–15 Years Fiction category of the Prix Jeunesse International festival in 2022.
Ricky Rapper and the Strongman (2019) In 2019, Lehmusruusu directed Ricky Rapper and the Strongman (Finnish: Risto Räppääjä ja pullistelija), based on the children's book series by Sinikka and Tiina Nopola. The film became Finland's fifth most-watched film of 2019 and its most-watched domestic film, with 288,305 theater admissions.
The Squirrel (2026) Lehmusruusu wrote and directed The Squirrel (Orava), a science-fiction comedy-drama. The film premiered in Finnish cinemas on April 2, 2026, to positive reviews from Finnish critics. The film is scheduled to have its international premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, on September 20, 2026. In September 2026, The Squirrel was selected as the Finnish entry for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes 2011 Puita ja semmosia Director Short film 2015 Miss Zahra Director Short film 2019 Ricky Rapper and the Strongman Director Feature film 2020–2023 Kakarat Director TV series; season 1 co-directed with Juho Kuosmanen; season 2 directed by Laura Joutsi 2021 Lovi Director TV series; co-directed with Miia Tervo 2026 The Squirrel (Orava) Writer, Director Feature film
References