Ella Mikkola, 26, is heading to TIFF Canada's Top Ten Film Festival.

Her experimental documentary, “SAARI,” which is Finnish for ‘the island,’ is one of 10 student films screening at the festival next week. Most of it was shot 10 years ago at her family cottage in Finland. It touches on the themes of escape and preserving memories.

"It kind of like started from a feeling of like being far away from home, because I am from Finlan; it is a big distance,” said Mikkola, who is a graduate film student at the U of R. “It was the first time I was like actually living somewhere else. So every now and then there were these feeling of longing and like kind of that sadness that is involved with that."

The documentary started as a final project in Mikkola's first film class as an undergrad in 2015. Her professor, Mike Rollo, encouraged her to keep working on the film after the semester was over.

"I knew when I first saw the stuff that she was bringing -- the rush that she was bringing into class -- that this person had talent, that Ella had talent,” said Rollo. Just like every other student, I want to encourage every single talent that they have.

Mikolla is not the first U of R film student to have their film featured at tiff's top ten. She joins other artists whose accomplishments have been recognized by one of the world's most prestigious film festivals."

In 2015, Candy Fox's film, ‘Backroads,’ which touches on the strength of people who survive family abuse was featured. And in 2012, Matt Yim's film, ‘April Doesn't Hurt Here,’ was also selected.

"There's a lot of bigger schools that . . . you know . . . they don't always have product every year. So, that's quite a nice record over the past four or five years,” said Steve Gravestock, TIFF senior programmer.

Mikkola's documentary was one of four student films the U of R submitted to TIFF this year. She says the school's program and Saskatchewan’s film industry have played a major role in her creating the film.

"I have gotten support from the university, from the Filmpool, from industry professionals. It has been overwhelming the support i have gotten,” said Mikkola. “It is easy to answer to that question--I would not be here with that film without that support."

After the festival, Mikkola will continue her graduate program in film using analog cameras. She plans to use 16mm film, exploring themes like dreams and experimental fiction.