Aleksi Puranen (b. 1978) is a screenwriter and director from Finland. He graduated with MA in Film Screenwriting from the University of Salford, UK, in 2012. He has worked as lighting technician, assistant director and production assistant until 2012 when he graduated from University of Salford. Since then he has focused solely on writing, directing and producing. His short comedies ”Rough Ride”, ”Daddies Need No Teaching” and ”Swamp Affair” have traveled around the wolrd on several film festivals. He has written for theatre, commercials and film. His first feature film as a screenwriter, ”Heavy trip”, a comedy about a death metal band looking to play their first gig will have its world premiere in March 2018 at South by Southwest. His first documentary, a road movie about a disabled man hoping to travel across Europe on a wheelchair ”Wheels of Freedom” will have its world premiere in March 2018 at Tampere International Film Festival.