Helminen graduated as a film director from The University of Art and Design Helsinki in 1993. She specializes in children’s movies. She is most known for films The King Who Had No Heart (1982) and Pelicanman (2004) and animation series Tootletubs & Jyro (2001) and Umpy & Tumpy (1996-1997). She has also directed documentary film The Journey is Long (1993) and many short documentaries.
Helminen has received The State Film Award in 1971, Jussi Award for the Best Short Film in 1983, The State Award for Children’s Culture in 1983, The State Prize for Art in 2001 and others. She was granted the state’s pension for artists in 2013.