Fallen Leaves

Synopsis
Fallen Leaves tells the story of two lonely people who meet by chance in Helsinki one night and try to find the first, only, and ultimate love of their lives. Their path towards this honourable goal is clouded by the man’s alcoholism, lost phone numbers, and not knowing each other’s names or addresses, not to mention life’s general tendency to place obstacles in the way of those who seek happiness.

This gentle tragicomedy is the – previously thought to be lost – fourth part of Aki Kaurismäki’s working-class trilogy (Shadows in Paradise, Ariel, and The Match Factory Girl).

Jury moviation
The timeless story of Fallen Leaves is redolent with sorrow, nostalgia, and the vanishing old Helsinki. Aki Kaurismäki’s film tells a simple story of a lonely woman, Ansa, and a man, Holappa, who meet and fall in love. But the budding relationship is threatened by his alcoholism. The Russian invasion of Ukraine serves as background noise to the film. It may only be heard in a few scenes via Ansa’s radio, but it echoes throughout. Fallen Leaves is very much Kaurismäki: pared down and seemingly of no great consequence, the director/screenwriter’s unique vision makes it grand. The flowing narration, humour and the director’s signature naïve romance are familiar elements, but this world of the past now unexpectedly meets a highly contemporary longing for optimism, which is brought to life by the fresh presence of Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen, who play Ansa and Holappa. In the end, love and hope are what matters most.