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Timo Salminen

Cinematographer · Born July 11, 1952 (74) · Helsinki, Finland

Timo Salminen (11 July 1952 in Helsinki) is a Finnish cinematographer best known for his artistic work in Aki Kaurismäki's films. Salminen's father Ville Salminen was a famed Finnish film actor, director, writer and producer whose career began in the 1930s and lasted until the 1980s. His older step brother Ville-Veikko Salminen was a comedic actor whose career also lasted over 50 years.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
July 11, 1952 (74)
From
Helsinki, Finland
Works as
Cinematographer
Titles
21 on MovieCove · 60 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 19% in 30 days

What are Timo Salminen's films like?

Across their 20 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Society.

Genres

Comedy11 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 92nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Adventure2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 43rd percentile
: browse their Adventure movies
Crime2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 70th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
26%
Society
26%
Bonds
19%
Ideas
10%
Survival
8%
Morality
6%
Power
4%
Romantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeIsolation6 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSelf-worth3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themeHope3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 20 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 6 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 10

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 9 · Charged 10 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 16 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 12 · Funny 3

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 17 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 12 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 5 · Affecting 13 · Heavy 2

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 11 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 4

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Warm
11
Melancholic
12
Contemplative
7
Tense
6
Absurd
5
Other
9

How their films linger

Hopeful10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous6
  • Other2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Timo Salminen's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 14 of their 21 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on The Criterion Channel (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Timo Salminen's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

60 credits, 21 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • Kill the Jockey(2024)

    Camera Operator · Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Eureka(2023)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Fallen Leaves(2023)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Woman at Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Cinematographer

  • Romantic Guide to Lost Places(2020)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Fishlove (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Cinematographer

  • My Branch So Thin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Cinematographer

  • The Other Side of Hope(2017)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Swagger(2016)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Armpits (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Cinematographer

  • Jauja(2014)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Pause (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Cinematographer

  • Bluesia Pieksämäen asemalla (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Cinematographer

  • Historic Centre(2012)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Tavern Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Cinematographer

  • Le Havre(2011)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Rat Trap (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Cinematographer

  • A Distant Neighbourhood(2010)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Backwood Philosopher (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Cinematographer

  • Red Pearls of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Cinematographer

  • Lights in the Dusk(2006)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Pelicanman (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Cinematographer

  • Visions of Europe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Cinematographer

  • Bico (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Cinematographer

  • Dogs Have No Hell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Cinematographer

  • Ten Minutes Older: The Trumpet(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Man Without a Past(2002)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Classic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Cinematographer

  • Highway Society (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Cinematographer

  • Juha (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Cinematographer · as Hotellipalvelija (uncredited)

  • Vaiennut kylä (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Cinematographer

  • Drifting Clouds(1996)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Iron Horsemen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Cinematographer

  • Total Balalaika Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Camera Operator

  • Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Cinematographer

  • Take Care of Your Scarf, Tatjana (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Cinematographer

  • The Last Border (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Cinematographer

  • The Prodigal Son (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Cinematographer

  • Shit Happens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    Cinematographer

  • The Bohemian Life(1992)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Amazon(1990)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • I Hired a Contract Killer(1990)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Match Factory Girl(1990)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Paper Star (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Cinematographer

  • Leningrad Cowboys Go America(1989)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films

  • Cha Cha Cha (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Cinematographer

  • Ariel(1988)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Hamlet Goes Business (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Cinematographer

  • Tilinteko (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Cinematographer

  • Shadows in Paradise(1986)

    Cinematographer

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Rocky VI (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    Cinematographer

  • Rosso (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Cinematographer

  • Calamari Union (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Cinematographer

  • The Clan: Tale of the Frogs (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Cinematographer

  • Crime and Punishment (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    Cinematographer

  • The Worthless (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Cinematographer

  • The Saimaa Gesture (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Cinematographer

  • Yö meren rannalla (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Assistant Camera

  • Viimeinen savotta (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Assistant Camera

  • My Times (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Cinematographer

Career shape

A full career of 60 titles, 59 of them dated from 1977 to 2024.

Biggest box office

Le Havre (2011)

$13M worldwide

Highest rated

Drifting Clouds (1996)

Midcredits 96th

Most popular right now

Le Havre (2011)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 60: 0 only acting, 1 with another roleCinematography57 of 60: 55 only cinematography, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score85thOther crew4 of 60: 3 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1970s1 · crew1980s15 · crew1990s14 · 1 acting · 14 crew2000s11 · crew2010s12 · crew2020s6 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Timo Salminen's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 85th percentile, the median of all 21; across their 20 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 85th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Approval · how many liked their films

84thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Reach · how many have seen their films

85thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 20

Midcredits score across 21 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up15
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th3

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 21 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved4
  • Crowd Pleaser11
  • Mixed6

Most divisive · cinematographer

Eureka (2023)

54th percentile spread · 24% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · cinematographer

Drifting Clouds (1996)

Midcredits 96th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the cinematography 75/100 in their films, across 17 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 54. The element that speaks to their work as a cinematographer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Timo Salminen's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Sex & Nudity5 titles5–50 · median 9 · minimallighter than most filmsMedian of all films: 32
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 69 · intenseMedian of all films: 33

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Timo Salminen work with?

People who share at least 2 of Timo Salminen's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Aki Kaurismäki shares the most, 14.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Editors

Producers

Mixed roles