Fallen Leaves awarded as best non-English film by national critics in USA

Upon the American critics awards, Fallen Leaves received two Golden Globe nominations. The film is also on the short list for an Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.

The film, written and directed by Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki, is a romantic comedy that tells the story of two modern day Finns, Ansa (Alma Pöysti) and Holappa (Jussi Vatanen).

The main characters, both coming from working class backgrounds, meet at a karaoke bar and share a powerful moment of intense eye contact. However, they face challenges in trying to meet again and build upon this initial encounter. The obstacles include lost phone numbers, alcoholism and fear of opening up. The film is made in the well-known style of Aki Kaurismäki, characterised by dry humour, minimalism and humanism.

For both Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen, the leading male actor, this is their first appearance in a film directed by Aki Kaurismäki. Kaurismäki, renowned for award-winning films like "Lights in the Dusk" (2006) and "The Man Without A Past" (2002), has a very minimalistic approach to acting.

Alma Pöysti recounts the directions they received from Kaurismäki: "Aki told us he prefers to do the shots in one take. ‘But if you mess up, we will do it in two takes. And if it is a disaster, we will do it in three takes.’"

“This was of course an expression of his great sense of humour, but actually it was also true. Most of the scenes are done in one take, which is quite remarkable.”

"It was like a journey back to old-time movie-making for us. He is using a 35mm film camera. Aki doesn't use a monitor, which is extraordinary. He sits by the camera, observing the takes and building the frames. His vision is clear, and he knows exactly what he wants. It is a privilege to work with a master of his craft.”

But even though the cinematic expression is simple, the film has an intensity to it.

"You need to include life, thoughts, and feelings in your work. Trust your audience. In Aki’s world, less is more. The narrative will carry the story even without exaggeration. Aki has been doing this for a long time, and has his own unique aesthetics, storytelling, and humanism, which I greatly admire. So it was easy to sit back and let Aki take care of everything else. The lighting, rhythm, props… Everything is all set. It's a wonderful world to be a part of," Pöysti relates.

Alma Pöysti was nominated for a Golden Globe in the category of Best Performance by a Female Actor in Musical or Comedy for her role as Ansa. This was the most recent nomination for a Finnish actress in the category, and the first time a Finnish film received this nomination. The award ultimately went to Emma Stone for her part in Poor Things.

Still, being nominated is, according to Pöysti, a great recognition of the team’s work.

“I’m so grateful. It's nice to see that we can produce high-quality work in Nordic countries which is recognised internationally.”

Hope is what people have come away with from the film. Why do you think that is?

“Each individual's film experience is subjective. I won't preach about hope, but the film explores finding love in middle age. The characters are shy and lonely, living challenging lives and overcoming obstacles. This film is about affection, love, solidarity, caring for each other, and even for the dog.”

“Caring is a counter-force to cynicism and to an exploitative system that doesn’t care about people. Aki is very good at incorporating this in concrete scenes and stories. It is all beautiful and profound, because he presents it with such honesty that you truly believe in it. Even though this is a romantic comedy, it is not overly sweet. You can relate to it because the characters are going through tough times.”

In Fallen Leaves, set in the present day, the characters rely on handwritten phone numbers, which end up getting lost. But even so, for an Aki Karuismäki film, Fallen Leaves is quite modern, according to Alma Pöysti.

“Aki plays around with the concept of time, creating a sort of fairytale in which time doesn’t really matter. There are mobile phones and even an Internet café. The concept of the Internet has never been present in an Aki Kaurismäki film before. And as a matter of fact the calendar on the wall says 2024, so when we shot the film it was actually a sci-fi film,” she says jokingly.

Another film in which Alma Pöysti is currently appearing is For Little Adults by Selma Vilhunen, a heartfelt story about polyamory.

In the film, premiering in Sweden and France this week, Alma Pöysti plays Juulia. When her husband Matias' affair with Enni is revealed, Juulia suggests they consider an open marriage instead of a divorce.

“This is a completely different love story from Finland. But I think we desperately need all these love stories, because we are living quite rough times.”

These are very different roles, but somehow you prove your craft in both of them. What is the essence of your acting?

“To give the characters life and heart and to care about them, whatever they do. And not be afraid of entering uncomfortable territory and exploring the unknown. I love the art of transformation, and absorbing someone else’s aesthetics and universe. I love entering the mindset, head and heart of a writer and a director. It’s curiosity about another person, and I guess that’s one of the basic driving forces of acting.”