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Joonatan Itkonen on Muck Rack

Joonatan Itkonen

(He/Him)
Helsinki
As seen in: Region Free, OpenCritic, Movies We Texted About, KonsoliFIN Podcast
Covers:  Film premieres, festivals, streaming, interviews, gaming, technology, gadgets, and physical media.
Doesn't Cover: Politics, sports, music.

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Joonatan Itkonen’s Biography

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Queer AuDHD writer from Helsinki, Finland. I write about pop culture for Nordic and European audiences in English at regionfree.net, and I'm the editor-at-large of KonsoliFIN.net.

Bylines in Debug Magazine, FILMHOUNDS, Pelaaja, Episodi, Helsingin Sanomat, Filmtopp, Movies We Texted About, and others.

Joonatan Itkonen’s Journalist Portfolio

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Region Free - pop culture and tech reviews for everyone

Region Free - pop culture and tech reviews for everyone

Region Free is a trusted reviews site specializing in content about film reviews, game reviews, technology re…

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Ben Wheatley talks Bulk and building Free Fire in Minecraft

Ben Wheatley talks Bulk and building Free Fire in Minecraft

I sat down with filmmakers Ben Wheatley and Andy Starke to talk about their varied careers, indie filmmaking,…

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Interview with the cast of The Furious

Interview with the cast of The Furious

I met with Kenji Tanigaki, Joe Taslim, Xie Miao, Yayan Ruhian, and Brian Le to talk about shooting one of the…

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John McTiernan and the language of film

John McTiernan and the language of film

I spoke with legendary filmmaker John McTiernan on his roots, his career, and masculinity in action cinema.

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Cannes 2025: The Resurrection of Kevin Smith

Cannes 2025: The Resurrection of Kevin Smith

How Kevin Smith's Dogma was shaped by faith, escaped purgatory, and returned triumphantly to Cannes thanks to…

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Review: Is the Galaxy S26 Ultra the best for productivity?

Review: Is the Galaxy S26 Ultra the best for productivity?

Review | A content creation and productivity beast, the S26 Ultra might be an iterative update, but it's stil…

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Articles

Eleven alternative films you shouldn't miss at TIFF 2026

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By Joonatan Itkonen
| Region Free
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) kicks off tomorrow, and everyone is already hyped about the big titles premiering over the next 12 days. Some already have Oscar buzz, including films I reviewed at Cannes, like La Bola Negra. But what about the smaller titles? The Midnight Mayhem carnage? The odd indies and the heartfelt passion projects? Those are far easier to miss amongst the hundreds of screenings this year.
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10 essential films you shouldn't miss at the Helsinki International Film Festival 2026

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By Joonatan Itkonen
| Region Free
The Helsinki International Film Festival is upon us again, and its lineup is as exciting and surprising as ever. Luckily, I've had the fortune of seeing a bunch of the films in advance at Cannes and SXSW this past year, and I come bearing recommendations of ten films you shouldn't miss. Each recommendation comes with a link to my review and the festival site in English, where you can purchase tickets starting 2.9.2026 for the gala screenings and 4.9.2026 for all others.
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Onimusha: Way of the Sword is one of the best action games ever made

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By Joonatan Itkonen
| Region Free
As rewarding as it is difficult, Onimusha isn’t just one of the best games of the year; it’s one of the best action games ever made. Published: August 31, 2026, 6:00 pm {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to X {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Bluesky {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to Facebook {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share to LinkedIn {shareOpen = false}, 2000)"> Share by email • Immaculate combat mechanics that are easy to pick up and difficult to master.
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Interview

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What was your first job as a journalist?

Writing for Helsingin Sanomat.

Have you ever used a typewriter?

I had to actually learn how to type on one for school back in the early 90s. I'm glad computers became a thing so quick.

How is social media changing news?

You have to be constantly putting out content and long form material is suffering from it. This also leads to a lot non-stories.