The film Fallen Leaves by Aki Kaurismäki will be released in French theatres 20 September 2023
Featuring actors Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen, this tragicomedy tells a story of two solitary people who meet by chance one night in Helsinki. Each of them will try to find in the other one their first, unique, and last love. However, life tends to put obstacles in the way of those who seek happiness…
Portraying the working class is one of the central themes of Kaurismäki’s work. Fallen Leaves is a continuation of Kaurismäki’s Proletariat series which already includes Shadows in Paradise (1986), Ariel (1988), and The Match Factory Girl (1990).
Like Kaurismäki’s previous films, Fallen Leaves has also enjoyed international success. In the 2023 Cannes Film Festival the film was nominated for the Palme d’Or, won the Jury Prize and received the Special Jury Mention, AFCAE Prize. The International Federation of Film Critics, FIPRESCI, awarded the film the Grand Prix 2023 for Best Film of the Year. FIPRESCI has previously awarded Kaurismäki, among other things, a prize for his French-language film Le Havre.
To mark the release of Aki Kaurismäki’s film Fallen Leaves, Institut finlandais is presenting a series of screenings of the director’s work. More information and tickets here.