Born in 1944, in Finland. Soon after graduating from the Helsinki Collage of Applied Art 1968 as a graphic designer, she made her first animated commercial Vivante bubble bath. It was awarded as the Best Commercial at the 1972 Zagreb World Animation Festival. The following year Marjut was invited to the UK to join Halas & Batchelor Animation.
Since 1974 Marjut has worked independently in London directing and animating commercials for Finland - including several award winners - and producing short films for Channel Four Television. She created a children’s series Urpo & Turpo in partneship with Liisa Helminen for the Finnish Broadcasting Corporation. Her films tour extensively to film festivals, and have been presented in several international retrospectives of her work.
Marjut has been a member of many film festival juries, in the UK and overseas. She runs master-classes and workshops all around the world. She is a visiting tutor at the National Film & Television School, the Royal College of Art and the Surrey Institute of Art & Design. She lives in London.
Reviews
“After a closer inspection of the (Marjut Rimminen) films, one notices an effective narrative techique, and rather unconventional fact - that despite the films undoubtedly are animated - they seem strangely ‘real’.” Tonje Bjanber, Animerte Dager 1999.
“Marjut Rimminen is one of the most complex protagonists in the European animated film world. This is reflected in both the multitude of animation techniques and in particular the complexity of her topics. Her films often have a documentary core, but it is on the whole difficult to categorize them”. “Rimminen’s feminism has a playful and ironic element to it, her films show just how possible it is to combine critical cinema and entertainment.” Ulrich Wegenast, Retrospective at the Trickfilm Festival Stuttgart, April 1998.
“Tuolillakin on sielu, jos tarkkaan katsoo. …Marjut Rimminen on kokeilija, jota uudet tekniikat, tekotavat ja näkökulmat innostavat enemmän kuin pitäytyminen helposti tunnistettavaan tyyliin.” Anne Välinoro, Aamulehti 7.3.1998.
“Nykyisin Marjut Rimminen on niitä suomalaisia, jotka tunnetaan paremmin muualla kuin Suomessa.” Leena Virtanen, Helsingin Sanomat, 10.3.1997.
“Hän (Marjut Rimminen) on aikuisille suunnatun animaatioelokuvan armoitettu mestari, jonka jokainen elokuva on palkittu kansainvälisillä festivaaleilla.“ Tarmo Poussu, Ilta Sanomat, 10.3.1997
“Marjut Rimminen on tehnyt tv-mainoksia yli kolmekymmentä vuotta, kauemmin kuin monet alan ammattilaiset ovat eläneet. Hän on kansainvälisesti tunnustetuin mainosalalla työskentelevä suomalainen animaattori.” Markkinointi & Mainonta, marraskuu 2000.
“…suomalaisen animaation grand old ladyn Marjut Rimmisen animaatioissa näkyy taiteilijan käden jälki…” Markkinointi & Mainonta, 40/2000.
“Haluan tehdä lyhyitä lyhytelokuvia. Mainoksia tehdessäni olen huomannut, miten paljon saa mahtumaan vaikka 15 sekunttiin, kunhan ajatus on kirkas ja väline hallinnassa.” Marjut Rimminen, haastattelu Ilta Sanomat 10.3.1997.
“Mainosten tekeminen on erittäin hyvä tapa pysyä leivässä, kehittää ammattitaitoa ja päästä kokeilemaan alati uusia tekniikoita.” Marjut Rimminen, haastattelu Ilta Sanomat 10.3.1997.
“Rumuuden ja kauneuden suhde hyvyyteen, pahuuteen, vapauteen ja itseilmaisun mahdollisuuksiin on hänen elokuviensa vakituisia aiheita. Kaikki tämä on Marjutin elokuvissa kiteytetty erittäin tiiviiseen muotoon: kahdeksassa minuutissa siinä käydään läpi kokonainen perhehistoria, tuskalliset erot ja jälleentapaamiset. Tässä on animaation etu: se ei vaadi johdonmukaista kertovaa rakennetta, vaan pystyy esittämään asiansa kuvallisina merkkeinä, jotka välittyvät katsojalle tunnetiloina.” Velipekka Makkonen, Lehtiset, 1997.
Grants
2003 Received London Artists Film and Video Development Award for her proposal ‘Smiling Eyes, Smiling Lies’.
1998 Awarded a one year Artist’s Bursary ‘Taiteilija Apuraha’ from the Finnish Arts Council.
2009 Awarded a one year Artist’s Bursary ‘Taiteilija Apuraha’ from the Finnish Arts Council.
Her films include:
2007 Learned by Heart, 28 mins, Digibeta. Commissioned to celebrate Finland’s 90th anniversary of independence in December 2007 by YLE with financial support from SES, AVEK, Kirkon Media Säätiö and POEM. On the day the program received quarter million viewers (from the population of 5 million Finns). Won the Finnish State Film Quality Award LAATUTUKI 2007. DVD available from “AURORA”:http://www.aurora.org.uk/shop
2001 Red Ribbon AIDS/HIV episode in the UNICEF Anijam, 1 min, Digibeta.
1998 Tampere Film Festival ident, 15 secs, 35mm.
1998 Mixed Feelings, 4 x 3 mins, BetaSP. Four personal stories about the different experiences of abortion. A Channel 4 commission for the “Slot” for the 30th anniversary of the change in abortion law.
1997 Winner of the CineNova ident competition, 10 secs, 35mm.
1996 Many Happy Returns, 8 min 23 secs, DigiBeta, 16mm. Computer aided production in various frame by frame techniques, commissioned by Channel Four Television.
The film is available as “British Animation Awards compilation DVD, volume 1″ from “British Animation Awards”:http://www.britishanimationawards.com/
The film can be viewed at “4mations.tv”:http://www.4mations.tv/ and search with the title or director’s name.
The film is featured in Clare Kitson’s book “British Animation: The Channel 4 Factor”. This book can be ordered from “Parliament Hill Publishing”:http://www.parliamenthillpublishing.co.uk/
1996 Absolut Panushka A “Dream Team” of 24 award-winning animators around the world were each asked to interpret the classic Absolut bottle silhouette in their own distinctive styles, 10 secs each. The result was the first website on the Internet to exhibit experimental animation.
1996 Urpo & Turpo, 6 x 9 mins, 35mm. A pilot series of live-action and puppet-animation films for children. Finnish Film Foundation/European Script Fund/Lumifilmi. Won the Finnish State Film Quality Award LAATUTUKI 1997.
1995 100 Years of Cinema, 7 secs, 35mm. An ident celebrating the Centenary of Cinema, commissioned by the Finnish Film Foundation.
1991 The Stain, 11 mins, 16mm. A family psychodrama, commissioned by Channel Four Television. The film is available as British Animation Awards compilation DVD “Desire & Sexuality: Animating the Unconscious”, Vol 1. from “British Animation Awards”:http://www.britishanimationawards.com/
The film can be viewed: “4mations.tv”:http://www.4mations.tv/ or “Archive,org”:http://www.archive.org/ and search by the director’s name or the title.
1989 The Frog King 7 mins, 35mm. A winner in Magic Mirror animated fairy-tale competition.
1987 Blind Justice - Some Protection, 9 mins, 16mm. An animated documentary, presenting one woman’s experience of penal institutions. A Channel 4 commission.
The film can be viewed at “Archive.org”:http://www.archive.org/ and search by the director’s name.
1986 I’m not a Feminist, but… 7 mins, 35mm. A satire, incorporating the drawings and wit of Christine Roche. A Channel 4 co-production.
1982 The Bridge, 8 mins, 35mm. A satire in drawn animation. Epidem/YLE/Finnish Film Foundation. Won the Finnish State Film Quality Award LAATUTUKI 1983.
1972 Trip to Eternity, 3 mins, 16mm. A satire, in drawn animation. Collaboration with her brother, Sakari Rimminen. Finnish Film Foundation.