Helen Vaaks is an audiovisual anthropologist, documentalist from Tallinn, Estonia, based in Vienna, Austria. Having worked on documentaries, audiovisual ethnographies, marketing videos, and music videos, she has gained experience as a cinematographer, editor, director, and colourist. Deeply interested in exploring personal stories and people’s inner worlds, she focuses on lives shaped by environment, sport, music, migration, care, and more. She loves filming handheld, with a bit of wobble that feels raw, but also enjoys stepping back and observing still, letting the world settle into its own rhythm.
documentary filmmaker & camera woman
email: helenvaaks@gmail.com
phone: +372 5362 5725
Films (selection)
2025 EMCY [in production]
producer, director, camera, edit. Collaboration with University of Vienna, stape e.U., Vienna University of Technology and klarFAKT, and financed by the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology as part of FEMtech Research Projects 2023.
2024 work in between [audiovisual anthropology]
assistant director, camera, graphics. Collaboration with Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft.
2023 Do I Do [music video]
director, camera, edit, colour
2023 The Dream Team of Sunset Beach [short documentary]
edit, sound, colour
2023 Working With the Mussels [audiovisual anthropology]
director, camera, edit, sound, colour
2022 Frauen in Fahrt [audiovisual anthropology]
director, camera, edit
2022 What is on the minds of Viennese people? [audiovisual anthropology]
director, camera, edit
2022 Wiener Waschbären [short documentary]
director, camera, edit, sound, colour
2022 Lobau Bleibt [audiovisual anthropology]
director, camera, edit, sound, colour
2021 Salty, Spicy, Crunchy [short documentary]
director, camera, edit, sound, colour
2021 Papa [short documentary]
director, camera, edit
2020 Fridays For Future [short documentary]
edit, sound
2020 City Symphony [short documentary]
director, camera, edit, sound
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2022 - 2024 Wiener Würstelstand (hot dog stand)
social media content creator