Fallen Leaves (film)
Fallen Leaves | |
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![]() Theatrical release poster | |
Finnish | Kuolleet lehdet |
Literally | Dead Leaves |
Directed by | Aki Kaurismäki |
Written by | Aki Kaurismäki |
Produced by | |
Starring | |
Cinematography | Timo Salminen |
Edited by | Samu Heikkilä[2] |
Production companies |
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Distributed by |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 81 minutes[2] |
Countries |
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Language | Finnish |
Budget | €1.4 million[3] |
Box office | US$8.6 million[4][5] |
Fallen Leaves (Finnish: Kuolleet lehdet, lit. 'Dead Leaves') is a 2023 romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Aki Kaurismäki.[6] It is Kaurismäki's 20th full-length film and a continuation of his Proletariat series, which was originally planned as a trilogy and already includes Shadows in Paradise (1986), Ariel (1988), and The Match Factory Girl (1990).[7][8] Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen star in the main roles. The film is produced by Sputnik and Bufo.[6]
The film premiered on 22 May 2023 at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, and was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or in its main competition section, where it won the Jury Prize. It was released in Finland on 15 September 2023. It received critical acclaim and was named one of the top five international films of 2023 by the National Board of Review. The film was chosen as the Finnish entry for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards,[9][10] and was one of the 15 finalist films in the December shortlist.[11]
Plot
[edit]Ansa[a] is a single woman who lives in Helsinki. She works on a zero-hour contract in a supermarket, stocking the shelves. The equally lonely and depressed Holappa works as a sandblaster and frequently drinks on the job. One night, co-worker and roommate Huotari proposes they go to a karaoke bar, and he reluctantly complies. There, the two drink heavily and Huotari sings for the audience. His singing gets complimented by Liisa, who is drinking with her friend and co-worker Ansa. While Huotari tries (and fails) to seduce Liisa, Holappa and Ansa notice each other, but do not talk. Later, while returning home, Ansa sees Holappa drunk and unconscious on a bench. After checking that he is okay, she leaves before he wakes up.
Ansa eventually gets fired for taking expired food from the supermarket. In desperate need of money, she starts working at a bar for a meager salary. On her second day on the job, her boss is arrested, and she is jobless once again, but runs into Holappa who buys her a coffee and a pastry. They later see The Dead Don't Die at the cinema and seem to hit it off. At the end of the date, she writes down her phone number for Holappa, but does not tell him her name. While stopping to smoke a cigarette, he unknowingly drops and loses the paper.
Ansa grows disappointed waiting for a phone call while Holappa has no way of tracking her down. Remembering that Ansa told him that she lives near the cinema, he repeatedly goes there and waits at the entrance for hours. He eventually sustains an injury at work, and is fired after failing a breathalyzer test, which also gets him kicked out of the company dormitory. Ansa and Holappa eventually reunite outside the movie theater one night, and Ansa invites him over for dinner. Everything seems to go well, until she catches him drinking from a flask in her flat. Because of the tragedies alcoholism has caused to her family, an angry Ansa throws Holappa out. Without a home, he sleeps on benches at night and gets a job in construction but is again fired for drinking at work.
One day, while returning from work, Ansa saves a homeless dog by adopting it. At home, she washes the dog and treats it with affection. Missing Ansa (who also misses him), Holappa finds housing and pours his bottles down the drain. He calls Ansa to apologize, and they agree to meet up right away. On his way to her house, however, he is struck by a train.
Ansa waits for him at home, not knowing what happened. One day at a park, while walking the dog, Ansa runs into Huotari who reveals that Holappa is in a coma. Huotari also asks for Liisa's number, despite knowing she thinks he is too old for her. Ansa gives him the number and goes to the hospital. Though she does not know Holappa's first name, Ansa convinces the staff to let her see him. Each day while Holappa is in a coma, she reads and talks to him. Huotari, on the other hand, starts a relationship with Liisa.
One day, Holappa wakes up and leaves the hospital with Ansa and her dog. Instead of asking Ansa for her name, Holappa asks what the dog is called. She answers "Chaplin".
Cast
[edit]- Alma Pöysti as Ansa
- Jussi Vatanen as Holappa
- Janne Hyytiäinen as Huotari
- Nuppu Koivu as Liisa
- Sherwan Haji[13]
- Matti Onnismaa as iron workshop's boss
- Simon Al-Bazoon as net café keeper
- Martti Suosalo as Ansa's boss
- Maustetytöt as themselves
- Sakari Kuosmanen as a man in inn
- Maria Heiskanen as high nurse
- Alina Tomnikov as Tonja
- Alma the dog as Chaplin the dog (uncredited)[14]
- Juho Kuosmanen (uncredited)[13]
Production
[edit]Fallen Leaves was produced by Sputnik Oy and Bufo, and co-produced by the German company Pandora Film. The production also received the support of the Finnish Film Foundation, Yle, the Finnish Broadcasting Company, ZDF / ARTE, ARTE G.E.I.E, Filmförderungsanstalt and Film-und Medienstiftung NRW.[15]
Filming began in August 2022 in Kallio, Helsinki. Timo Salminen served as director of photography.[16] Production was done "in one take" and in Kaurismäki's typical style, according to Pöysti: "don't rehearse and don't read the script too much".[8]
The time period of the film is unclear, and it has been said to be set in an alternate reality.[17] The wall calendar shown in the film shows autumn 2024, but the news narrated on the radio takes place in the early moments of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[18] Tube radios, landline phones and old-fashioned trains are used in the world of the film, among other things.[17] It also contains several references to films, including Jim Jarmusch's The Dead Don't Die, David Lean's Brief Encounter, and Charlie Chaplin's Limelight.[8] According to Alma Pöysti, the female lead, "the film is about lonely people with baggage, who meet later in life. It takes courage to fall in love later in life."[8] It has been described as a tragicomedy.[19]
Release
[edit]Fallen Leaves was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival,[20][21] where it had its world premiere on 22 May 2023.[22][23] International sales are handled by The Match Factory.[24] In May 2023, MUBI acquired the distribution rights for North America, UK, Ireland, Latin America and Turkey.[25] In the United States, the film was released on 17 November.[26]
The film was screened at the Midnight Sun Film Festival on 17 June 2023.[27][28] It was also invited to the 27th Lima Film Festival in the Acclaimed section, where it was screened on 10 August 2023.[29] Following screenings at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and 2023 New York Film Festival.[30][31]
It was released in Germany by Pandora Film on 14 September 2023, under the title Fallende Blätter.[32] B-Plan Distribution theatrically released the film in Finland on 15 September 2023.[33]
It was also invited at the 28th Busan International Film Festival in 'Icon' section and was screened on 6 October 2023.[34]
Reception
[edit]Critical response
[edit]On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 98% based on 164 reviews, with an average rating of 8.3/10. The website's consensus reads, "A quirky tale of star-crossed lovers, Fallen Leaves is a life-affirming gem from Finnish filmmaker Kaurismäki."[35] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 86 out of 100, based on 30 critic reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[36]
Reviewing the film following its Cannes premiere, Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian wrote that the film is "romantic and sweet-natured, in a deadpan style that in no way undermines or ironises the emotions involved and with some sharp things to say about contemporary politics."[37] Glenn Kenny of RogerEbert.com gave the film four out of four stars, stating that "just an hour and twenty minutes long, the movie is a soulful romance that goes through conventional narrative paces."[38] Time called the film a "quiet masterpiece" and possibly Kaurismäki's greatest film.[39]
American filmmaker Dean Fleischer Camp praised the film, saying "Kaurismäki tells sincere stories about marginalized peoples struggling for the basic stuff—food, shelter, dignity, love. But the films themselves are bone-dry comedies which encourage us to laugh at the protagonists' misfortunes, or at least at the absurdity of the world's indifference to them. And by depicting such sympathetic underdogs with such a coolly detached brush, Kaurismäki evokes in us, the audience, our very best. When the lights come up, I feel radicalized toward empathy and sincerity, ready to take up arms against the cynicism within myself and against the ironic posturing that is pop culture's favorite self-defensive crouch."[40]
In August 2023, it was voted as the Best Film of the Year by the International Film Critics Federation Fipresci.[41]
Fallen Leaves was ranked first on Time's top 10 best films of 2023 list,[42] and fifth on Cahiers du Cinéma's top 10 films of 2023 list.[43] The film was included in the National Board of Review's list of the Top Five International Films of 2023.[44] AP News listed the film among the best films of the year; of the two critics who responded to the list, Lindsey Bahr ranked the film at #6 and Jake Coyle at #1.[45]
Accolades
[edit]Notes
[edit]See also
[edit]- List of submissions to the 96th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film
- List of Finnish submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
- List of Finnish films of the 2020s
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Gleiberman, Owen (23 May 2023). "'Fallen Leaves' Review: Aki Kaurismäki Stages a Tiny Sliver of a Romance in a Quirky Finnish Kaurismäki Land That Hasn't Changed in 30 Years". Variety. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Kuolleet lehdet". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ Jutila, Niko (18 September 2023). "Kuolleet lehdet on matkalla Aki Kaurismäen katsotuimmaksi elokuvaksi – Venetsian aaveet oli kolmanneksi katsotuin". Elokuvauutiset.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 21 November 2023.
- ^ "Kuolleet lehdet (2023)". The Numbers. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Fallen Leaves (2023)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
- ^ a b B-Plan Distributionin tiedote (10 June 2022). "Aki Kaurismäki ohjaa työläistrilogiansa neljännen osan". Filmikamari (in Finnish). Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- ^ "Köyhät luuserit paremman maailman haussa – Kaurismäen työläistrilogia on ihmisyyden asialla" (in Finnish). Yle. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- ^ a b c d Pham, Annika (24 May 2023). "Kaurismäki about war in Ukraine, love, Chaplin, and asparagus". Nordisk Film & TV Fond. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
- ^ Sundqvist, Janne (13 September 2023). "Kuolleet lehdet on Suomen Oscar-ehdokas – Kaurismäki Ylelle: Mikään ei voisi kiinnostaa vähemmän" (in Finnish). Yle. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ Raita-aho, Sanna (13 September 2023). "Aki Kaurismäen Kuolleet lehdet valittiin Suomen Oscar-ehdokkaaksi – ohjaajan boikotti päättyi tällä erää". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ Bergeson, Samantha (21 December 2023). "2024 Oscar Shortlists Unveiled: 'Barbie,' 'Poor Things,' 'Maestro,' and 'The Zone of Interest' Make the Cut". IndieWire. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
- ^ Sims, David (17 November 2023). "A Must-See Comedy About Miserable People Looking for Love". The Atlantic. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
- ^ a b Bałaga, Marta (23 May 2023). "'Fallen Leaves' Stars Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen Talk 'Sensei of One-Liners' Aki Kaurismäki". Variety. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
- ^ Roxborough, Scott (26 May 2023). "Cannes: 'Anatomy of a Fall' Border Collie Messi Wins Palm Dog in Most Competitive Canine Contest Yet". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
- ^ "Fallen Leaves". The Match Factory. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ^ "Ohjaaja Aki Kaurismäki tekee uutta elokuvaa – "Sormeni ja alitajuntani kirjoittivat näköjään neljännen osan työläistrilogiaan"". Aamuposti (in Finnish). 10 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
- ^ a b Huhtala, Jussi (14 September 2023). "Kuolleet lehdet – elokuvan arvostelu". Episodi.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ Kartastenpää, Tero (7 September 2023). "Arvio: Viisi tähteä – Kuolleet lehdet on parasta Kaurismäkeä". Suomen Kuvalehti (in Finnish). Retrieved 7 October 2023.
- ^ Pham, Annika (13 April 2023). "Cannes Film Festival selects Aki Kaurismäki's Fallen Leaves for main competition". Nordisk Film & TV Fond. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ "Aki Kaurismäki tekee näyttävän paluun: työläistrilogian neljäs elokuva valittiin Cannesin pääkilpasarjaan". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
- ^ "Elokuvat | Aki Kaurismäki palaa komeasti parrasvaloihin – uusi työläiselokuva kilpailee Cannesissa". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). 13 April 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
- ^ mraultpauillac (10 May 2023). "The Screenings Guide of the 76th Festival de Cannes". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
- ^ "Kaurismäki nousi voittajasuosikiksi Cannesissa" [Kaurismäki favourite to win at Cannes] (in Finnish). Yle. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
- ^ Bałaga, Marta (22 May 2023). "Review: Fallen Leaves". Cineuropa. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (24 May 2023). "'Fallen Leaves': Mubi Acquires Aki Kaurismäki's Acclaimed Tragicomedy – Cannes". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ Davis, Edward (30 August 2023). "'Fallen Leaves' Teaser Trailer: Aki Kaurismäki's Latest Wry TragiComedy Opens November 17". The Playlist. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ "Ohjelmakartta" (in Finnish). Midnight Sun Film Festival. Archived from the original on 29 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ "Aki Kaurismäen uusi Kuolleet lehdet -elokuva saa ensiesityksensä Suomessa kesäkuussa". Muropaketti (in Finnish). 4 May 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ "Fallen Leaves" [Kuolleet lehdet] (in Spanish). 27 PUCP Lima Film Festival. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- ^ Lattanzio, Ryan (10 August 2023). "TIFF 2023 Centerpiece Program Showcases Aki Kaurismäki, Wim Wenders, Agnieszka Holland, and More". IndieWire. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ^ Rubin, Rebecca (8 August 2023). "New York Film Festival Unveils 2023 Lineup: 'Zone of Interest,' 'Poor Things,' 'Anatomy of a Fall' and More". Variety. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ^ "Fallende Blätter" (in German). Pandora Film Verleih. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
- ^ Riskala, Tuomas (22 May 2023). "Aki Kaurismäki ei pidä iltapuvuista eikä mediahuomiosta – Kuolleet lehdet saa tänään ensi-iltansa Cannesissa ilman ylimääräisiä fanfaareja". Seiska (in Finnish). Retrieved 30 July 2023.
- ^ "The 28th Busan International Film Festival: Selection List". Busan International Film Festival. 5 September 2023. Archived from the original on 15 September 2023. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
- ^ "Fallen Leaves". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ "Fallen Leaves". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ Bradshaw, Peter (22 May 2023). "Fallen Leaves review – deadpan Aki Kaurismäki comedy with springtime in its heart". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
- ^ Kenny, Glenn (17 November 2023). "Fallen Leaves movie review & film summary (2023)". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ Zacharek, Stephanie (17 November 2023). "Fallen Leaves Is a Quiet Masterpiece About Tenderness in a Cold World". Time Magazine. Time Magazine. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ Fleischer Camp, Dean (13 December 2023). "16 Directors Praise 2023's Best Films: Alfonso Cuarón on 'Killers of the Flower Moon,' Jane Campion on 'Priscilla' and More". Variety. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
- ^ Hopewell, John (23 August 2023). "Aki Kaurismaki's 'Fallen Leaves' Voted Best Film of the Past Year by International Film Critics Federation Fipresci". Variety. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ Zacharek, Stephanie (1 December 2023). "The 10 Best Movies of 2023". Time. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
- ^ Zilko, Christian (1 December 2023). "Cahiers du Cinema Names Best Films of 2023, Including 'Anatomy of a Fall' and 'Close Your Eyes'". IndieWire. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ Lewis, Hilary (6 December 2023). "National Board of Review Names 'Killers of the Flower Moon' Best Film of 2023". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
- ^ Bahr, Lindsey; Coyle, Jake (7 December 2023). "Best movies of 2023: 'Oppenheimer,' 'Fallen Leaves,' 'May December'". AP News. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
- ^ Merin, Jennifer (22 December 2023). "2023 EDA Awards Nominees". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
- ^ Anderson, Erik (7 December 2023). "'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' Lead Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) Astra Awards Nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (2 November 2023). "Jodie Comer, Paul Mescal Score Nods as 'Rye Lane,' 'Scrapper', 'All of Us Strangers' Lead British Independent Film Awards Nominations". Variety. Retrieved 2 November 2023.
- ^ "The films of the Official Selection 2023". Festival de Cannes. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
- ^ Debruge, Peter (27 May 2023). "Cannes Awards: 'Anatomy of a Fall' Takes Palme d'Or, 'The Zone of Interest' and 'The Pot au Feu' Among Winners". Variety. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ^ Keslassy, Elsa (24 January 2024). "Cesar Awards Nominations: Thomas Cailley's 'The Animal Kingdom,' Justine Triet's Oscar-Nominated 'Anatomy of a Fall' Lead the Way". Variety. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ Roxborough, Scott; Szalai, Georg (24 January 2024). "Cesar Nominations: 'Anatomy of a Fall,' 'The Animal Kingdom' Lead the Pack for French Film Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ Kay, Jeremy (14 September 2023). "'Fallen Leaves', 'About Dry Grasses', 'La Chimera' among Chicago fest international line-up (exclusive)". Screen Daily. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- ^ "59th Chicago International Film Festival Announces Award-Winners". RogerEbert.com. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ^ Jorgenson, Todd (18 December 2023). "DFW Film Critics Name The Holdovers Best Picture of 2023". Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
- ^ Neglia, Matt (19 December 2023). "The 2023 Dublin Film Critics Circle (DFCC) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
- ^ Roxborough, Scott (7 November 2023). "Oscar Contenders 'Zone of Interest,' 'Io Capitano,' 'Fallen Leaves' Among 2023 European Film Award Nominees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
- ^ Ramachandran, Naman (4 September 2023). "European Film Academy and EU Parliament Reveal 2023 Lux Award Nominations – Global Bulletin". Variety. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
- ^ Lang, Brent; Shanfeld, Ethan (11 December 2023). "Golden Globes 2024: Full Nominations List". Variety. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ Blauvelt, Christian (11 December 2023). "2023 Critics Poll: The Best Films and Performances, According to 158 Critics from Around the World". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ Stevens, Beth (11 February 2024). "2024 ICS Award Winners". International Cinephile Society. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "FESTIVALS: Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry Wins 2023 CineFest Miskolc IFF". FilmNewEurope. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
- ^ Davis, Clayton (6 November 2023). "'Killers of the Flower Moon' Named Best Picture by National Board of Review, Lily Gladstone and Paul Giamatti Nab Top Acting Honors". Variety. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
- ^ Lewis, Hilary (6 January 2024). "Past Lives Named Best Picture by National Society of Film Critics". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ Anderson, Erik (15 December 2023). "San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) Nominations". AwardsWatch. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2023.
- ^ Neglia, Matt (5 January 2024). "The 2023 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "IPA Reveals Nominations for the 28th Satellite™ Awards". International Press Academy. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
- ^ Anderson, Eric. "2023 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations". awardswatch.com. AwardsWatch. Retrieved 11 December 2023.
- ^ Frater, Patrick (9 May 2023). "Sydney Film Festival Unveils Bumper Lineup for 70th Edition". Variety. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
- ^ Neglia, Matt (17 December 2023). "The 2023 Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ Neglia, Matt (9 December 2023). "The 2023 Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) Nominations". Next Best Picture. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
External links
[edit]- 2023 films
- 2023 independent films
- 2023 romantic comedy-drama films
- 2020s Finnish-language films
- 2020s German films
- Films about alcoholism
- Films about the working class
- Films directed by Aki Kaurismäki
- Films set in Helsinki
- Films shot in Helsinki
- Finnish comedy-drama films
- Finnish independent films
- Finnish romantic comedy films
- Finnish romantic drama films
- German independent films
- German romantic comedy-drama films