Director, Producer

Minna Dufton is an award winning journalist, documentarist and tv industry professional with a cause. She has learned her craft by working in big broadcasting corporations such as ITN, BBC and Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle for over 20 years.

Minna's mission is to bring complex and inspiring stories to the screen in a healing manner. She believes that showing vulnerability is the key to showing courage.

Director of Photography

Sakke Kantosalo is an award winning DP and lighting cameraman best known for his work for Finnish Broadcasting Company Yle. Sakke has worked in a wide range of tv and film productions for 15 years and loves his job. For BIG vs SMALL, Sakke drove from Helsinki to Nazaré for the last shoot of the production.

Surf Cinematographer

Tim Bonython is an award winning cinematographer and director, specialising in footage of local and big wave surfing. Tim is based in Sydney but spends the winter season in Nazaré chasing swells. Tim is 100% passionate about what he does and also has a major addiction to shooting the biggest waves with the best big wave surfers. Most of Tim’s films are his own productions.

Film Editor

Maarit Nissilä is a Finnish-American filmmaker based in New York. A graduate of the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, her recent credits include directing non-scripted TV for Warner Bros Finland, editing documentary series Breaking Hate for NBC and This Is Life With Lisa Ling for CNN, as well as feature documentary Farmers For America.

Sound Designer

Juuso Oksala is a Helsinki-based sound designer and sound recordist. He has been working professionally since 2014, mostly with documentary film although fictional storytelling is also close to his heart. Juuso enjoys working in strong collaboration with the director, editor and other members of the film crew in order to create a unique voice for each film.

Producer

Heidi Richert is a seasoned tv professional and filmmaker of over 15 years. Heidi has produced, directed and written a number of tv and reality series in Finland and directed and edited films since 2005. For BIG vs SMALL, Heidi was responsible for pre production and for setting up the core production team.

Photographer

Elina Manninen is a Helsinki based photographer who works internationally. She is best known for her work with people, children and lifestyle. Elina also spends time working with her sister, ice diver Johanna Nordblad, in underwater and under ice productions and is the official photographer of BIG vs SMALL.

Translator

Suvi Salmilampi is a translator and interpreter of Finnish, Spanish and Portuguese. For BIG vs SMALL, Suvi translated interviews from Portuguese into Finnish for the writing and editing process. Through working on the film, Suvi discovered the world of female surfing and was surprised by the individual mental toughness required to successfully surf a big wave.