Fallen Leaves () is a 2023 Finnish-German comedy-drama film written and directed by Aki Kaurismäki. 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). Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen star in the main roles. The film is produced by Sputnik and Bufo.
The film competed for the Palme d'Or at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize. It is also selected as the Finnish entry for the Best International Feature Film award at the upcoming 96th Academy Awards.
Synopsis
Ansa (which means 'trapped' in Finnish), is single and lives in Helsinki. She works on a zero-hour contract in a supermarket, stocking the shelves; later she sorts recyclable plastic. One night she accidentally meets the equally lonely worker Holappa, an alcoholic. Against all odds and misunderstandings, they try to build a relationship. As a result, Holappa manages to get his alcohol addiction under control. 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." It has been described as a tragicomedy.
Cast
Alma Pöysti as Ansa
Jussi Vatanen as Holappa
Janne Hyytiäinen as Huotari
Nuppu Koivu as Liisa
Matti Onnismaa
Simon Al-Bazoon
Martti Suosalo as Ansa's boss
Alma-Koira
Sakari Kuosmanen
Maria Heiskanen
Alina Tomnikov
Maustetytöt
Juho Kuosmanen
Sherwan Haji
Production
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.
Filming began in August 2022 in Kallio, Helsinki. Timo Salminen served as director of photography. 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".
The time period of the film is unclear, and it has been said to be set in an alternate reality. 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. Tube radios, landline phones and old-fashioned trains are used in the world of the film, among other things.
Release
Fallen Leaves was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 22 May 2023. International sales are handled by The Match Factory. In May 2023, Mubi acquired the distribution rights for North America, UK, Ireland, Latin America and Turkey. In the United States, the film will be released on 17 November.
The film was screened at the Midnight Sun Film Festival on 17 June 2023. It was also invited to the 27th Lima Film Festival in the Acclaimed section, where it was screened on 10 August 2023. Following screenings at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and 2023 New York Film Festival.
It was released in Germany by Pandora Film on 14 September 2023, under the title Fallende Blätter. B-Plan Distribution theatrically released the film in Finland on 15 September 2023.
It was also invited at the 28th Busan International Film Festival in 'Icon' section and was screened on 6 October 2023.
Reception
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 100% based on 38 reviews, with an average rating of 8.3/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "A quirky tale of star-crossed lovers, Fallen Leaves is a life-affirming gem from Finnish filmmaker Kaurismäki." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 79 out of 100, based on 8 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
Nordisk Film & TV Fond pointed out, that the movie contains references to Jim Jarmusch's The Dead Don't Die, David Lean's Brief Encounter, and Charlie Chaplin's Limelight.
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."
In August 2023, it was voted as the Best Film of the Year by the International Film Critics Federation Fipresci.