Mika Taanila (born 1965 in Helsinki) is a Finnish film director and visual artist.
His films can be categorized somewhere between the traditions of classic documentary film-making, avant-garde and video art. His most notable films are Tectonic Plate (2016), Return of The Atom (2015, co-dir. with Jussi Erola), Optical Sound (2005), The Future Is Not What It Used To Be (2002) and Futuro – A New Stance for Tomorrow (1998).
In addition to traditional cinematic screenings, Taanila shows his works also in galleries and museum as film and video installations.
Taanila has participated to numerous international group shows, such as The Venice Biennale (2017), Aichi Triennale (2013), Arctic Hysteria at PS.1. (2008), Shanghai Biennale (2006), Berlin Biennale (2004) and Manifesta 4 (2002). Solo shows include Padiglione de L'Esprit Nouveau in Bologna (2020), STUK Leuven (2018), Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art in Helsinki (2013–2014), Contemporary Art Museum, St. Louis (2013), TENT Rotterdam (2013), Badischer Kunstverein, Karlsruhe (2008), Dazibao, Montréal (2007) and Migrosmuseum, Zurich (2005).
In the summer 2012 Taanila participated at dOCUMENTA (13) with a three channel (3 x 16 metres) video installation The Most Electrified Town In Finland (2012). The piece uses documentary footage during the construction of Olkiluoto 3 nuclear power plant in Finland. Taanila and Jussi Eerola have directed also a feature documentary called Return of the Atom. The film premiered in Toronto International Film Festival and won the NORDIC:DOX award at CPH:DOX festival in November 2015, and was released theatrically in Finland and Germany.
In May 2015 Taanila received the Ars Fennica Award. He was one of the six artists in the Nordic Pavilion group show "Mirrored" at the Venice Biennale of 2017.
Taanila's film, Tectonic Plate (2016), is a cameraless feature film.