Samuel Kujala wins Jussi Award and explores actor-technology interaction at Tampere University

Samuel Kujala, actor and doctoral researcher at the Tampereen yliopisto ITC Faculty, has won the Jussi Award for Best Leading Role for his performance in the film Jossain on valo joka ei sammu. The award comes from Kujala’s first major film role, in which he portrays Pauli, a character searching for his identity. 

Kujala graduated with a Master’s degree in Theatre Arts from Tampere University in 2021. He is currently a doctoral researcher in the CONVERGENCE of Humans and Machines doctoral program and works as part of the Boundaries of Performing research group. 

At the Intersection of Acting and Technology 

Kujala’s research investigates the relationship between actors and technology, focusing on how technical conditions influence performers’ physicality, experience, and expressive choices. 

“Technology is often seen as restrictive, but it can also fuel an actor’s creativity,” Kujala explains. 

In the CONVERGENCE project, he combines artistic practice with technological research, exploring tools such as machine vision, augmented reality, and body-sensing systems. His goal is to develop acting methods where humans and technology interact in a dynamic, even symbiotic, way. 

Award-Winning Performance 

In Jossain on valo joka ei sammu, Kujala plays Pauli, a classically trained musician who becomes involved with an improvisational music collective. The role demanded full physical and emotional engagement. 

To prepare, Kujala practiced difficult musical passages for extended periods to embody the character’s frustration. He describes Pauli’s internal conflict as a “rebellion of the body,” a tension between impulses and control. 

Expanding the Study of Art 

Kujala hopes that artist-oriented research will gain greater recognition. He emphasizes that actors possess deep insights into interaction and embodiment that could be applied across disciplines. 

“I hope my work shows that actors have much to offer, especially in understanding human-technology interaction,” he says. 

The multidisciplinary environment at CONVERGENCE allows Kujala to merge artistic and technical perspectives, opening new possibilities for the future of performance and the role technology can play in creative processes.