INTERNATIONAL CURRENTS
In modern-day Helsinki, Ansa and Holappa, two lonely souls in search of their first love, meet by chance in a local karaoke bar. However, the pair’s path to happiness is beset by numerous obstacles—from lost phone numbers to mistaken addresses, alcoholism, and a charming stray dog.
Over his 40-year career, Aki Kaurismäki has directed nearly twenty feature films, including The Man Without a Past (2002), Le Havre (2011), and The Other Side of Hope (2017). Often characterized by a dry sense of humor and a winking regard for the everyday foibles of blue-collar life, Kaurismäki's films are also hopelessly romantic. Made with relatively simple means, Fallen Leaves is like a Hollywood Technicolor melodrama in miniature. Kaurismäki is a good fit for a festival with an emphasis on regional cinema; his Helsinki is a novel place to visit.
Fallen Leaves premiered in competition at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and recently had its US premiere in the main slate of the New York Film Festival.