Susanna Helke

Susanna Helke serves as Associate Professor and Head of Research at Aalto University's Department of Film, Television and Scenography, directing the Critical Cinema Lab. An acclaimed filmmaker-theorist, her work bridges documentary practice with critical theory to interrogate socio-political structures through cinematic expression.

Her research investigates the interrelations of poetics and politics in documentary cinema, specializing in hybrid forms, political performativity, and post-political emotive turns. Engaging contemporary political philosophy, she examines how documentary film can challenge dominant narratives and foster transformative social engagement, particularly regarding care work and sustainability crises.

Recent publications (2018-2023) demonstrate consistent focus on emotive strategies in documentary filmmaking, analyzing how hybrid forms address welfare state fractures, care ethics, and political subjectivity. Her practice-based research methodology integrates filmmaking with theoretical inquiry to explore cinema's capacity for social transformation.

Her film American Vagabond (2013) received international recognition:

• Jury Award for Best Documentary
• Q Hugo Jury Special Prize

No documented information exists regarding student advisement or grant funding.

As director of the Critical Cinema Lab, Helke cultivates an interdisciplinary research environment where filmmakers, theorists, and activists collaborate to develop innovative documentary approaches that confront contemporary socio-political challenges through experimental practice.