Summer Night

One beautiful midsummer night.

Carla Pekander

After five years in China, I am now based in Helsinki, Finland. Passionate about performing and visual arts all the way since childhood, I started pursuing my dreams by first taking a one year course at the Beijing Film Academy (2010-2011). Spending a year in the cosmopolitan atmosphere made me realize how close Beijing and LA actually are in the end - it truly felt as if the world was without maps and this idea has become a huge inspiration to me. 

During the early years I had the chance to be on real sets mostly as an actress or model. However I see having performing experience as one of my strengths as a director, it helps me to explain to the actors what is needed in each scene more efficiently and understand the importance of breaks.

After spending the year in Beijing, I grew interested in other provinces in China and realized there were some interesting locations in the south. Thus, I decided to attend Yunnan Arts University (2013-2017) for a BFA in Cinematography and Editing. During my studies I also had some courses on set & lighting design and sound design, but later there was more emphasis on the production side such as how to pitch, calculate budget, write filming schedules and so on. During 2013-2015 I gained experience in different student films and music videos as gaffer, production assistant, focus puller, assistant director, cinematographer, editor, set designer and so on, it was good time to learn a bit about everything. 

I have written and directed the short film Don't Forget to Remember Me (2017, 19 min) which was nominated for Best cinematography and Best fiction at the Mayuan Film Festival. The film was also a semi-finalist at Los Angeles Cinefest and an Official Selection of the Oregon Cinema Arts Film Festival and Meme Pas Peur International Film Festival. The film received a Special Mention from Asia South East Short Film Festival 2019 and also participated in the Lift-Off Global Network First-Time Filmmakers Sessions October 2019. I was the director, cinematographer and editor for the music video Satu- Semi Seco. I have also directed, shot and edited a documentary Run Zhiying Run (2016, 22min) about a Chinese fashion student who dreams of studying abroad in London.