Fallen Leaves and the Films of Aki Kaurismäki

“Cinema is dead. It died in 1962. I think it was October” - Aki Kaurismäki

Aki Kaurismäki is a cinematic genius from Finland, even though he said that the cinema was dead, his cinema is very much alive and brilliant. His latest movie Fallen Leaves - Kuollehet Lehdet – Sararmış Yapraklar (2023) won the very prestigious Cannes Film Festival’s Jury Prize and shortlisted for the  Best International Film at the Oscar’s race. He failed to be nominated this time but he is the only Finnish film director to be nominated previously with his film The Man Without A Past – Mies Vailla Menneisyyttä - Geçmişi Olmayan Adam (2002). He is not a stranger to the biggest three film festivals of the world. His films won at Cannes four times, at Berlin 5 times and at Venice nominated once.

Kaurismäki is also loved profoundly in Türkiye. He is introduced to the Turkish audience in 1989 with the International Istanbul Film Festival with his cult classic Leningrad Cowboys Go America - Leningrad Kovboyları Amerika’ya gidiyor (1989). Kaurismäki then have been a frequent visitor to the numerous film festivals in Türkiye such as Istanbul, Adana Antalya and Ankara. He was not only a festival circuit film director but also seen the commercial screening of his films such as Drifting Clouds – Kauas Pirvet Karkaavat – Sürüklenen Bulutlar (1996). The Man Without a Past (2002), La Havre – Umut Limanı (2011).

Why Aki is so much loved in Türkiye and all over the world? The biggest reason is that he is Finnish but also a citizen of the world. He almost always portrays the underdog. His characters are unemployed, immigrant, stray people, children and women from the working class. His humanism and respect to women, children and human rights resonates deeply with all the filmgoers.

MUBI Türkiye the film streaming platform recently included 20 very much loved Aki Kaurismäki films to its program including Fallen Leaves. Fallen Leaves’ other great achievement is that it was nominated at the Best International Film Category at the Golden Globes and the leading actress Alma Pöysti became the first ever Finnish actor to get the recognition for an acting nomination at the Golden Globes.

Alma Pöysti is a new comer to the Kaurismäki universe, but Aki always works with the same actors. Not only his themes but his actors are also very familiar. His famous films mostly included the same Finnish actors over and over again such as Kati Outinen and Markku Peltola.

His brother Mika Kaurismäki is another very successful Finnish film director. Mika, who lives in Brasil, won the heart of the Turkish audience with his brilliant musical documentary Moro No Brasil – Brezilya’da Yaşıyorum (2002) when it was screened at the Istanbul Film Festival. Mika’s new film is also about music; Valentina, Her Piano and the Tangos (2024). Hopefully his and his younger brother Aki’s cinema  will always reach us, now let’s enjoy Fallen Leaves and listen to some Finnish tango.