Aki Kaurismäki

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Aki Olavi Kaurismäki (Template:IPA; born 4 April 1957) is a Finnish film director and screenwriter. He is best known for the award-winning Drifting Clouds (1996), The Man Without a Past (2002), Le Havre (2011), The Other Side of Hope (2017) and Fallen Leaves (2023), as well as Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989). He has been described as Finland's best-known film director.<ref name="veconomist" >Template:Cite news</ref>

Career

After graduating in media studies from the University of Tampere, Kaurismäki worked as a bricklayer, postman, and dish-washer, long before pursuing his interest in cinema, first as a critic, and later as a screenwriter & director.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He started his career as a co-screenwriter and actor in films made by his older brother, Mika Kaurismäki. He played the main role in Mika's film The Liar (1981). Together they founded the production company Villealfa Filmproductions and later the Midnight Sun Film Festival. His debut as an independent director was Crime and Punishment (1983), an adaptation of Dostoyevsky's novel set in modern Helsinki. He gained worldwide attention with Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989). In 1992, the New York Times film critic Vincent Canby declared Kaurismäki "an original ... one of cinema's most distinctive and idiosyncratic new artists, and possibly one of the most serious.... [He] could well turn out to be the seminal European filmmaker of the '90s."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2021, Kaursimäki opened the movie theater Kino Laika in his hometown of Karkkila, the subject of a 2023 documentary "Cinéma Laika" by Croatian-French film director Veljko Vidak.<ref>Vidak, 2023</ref>

Personal life

In 1989, he emigrated with his wife, Paula Oinonen, to Portugal, saying "in all of Helsinki there is no place left where I could place my camera".<ref>Ralph Eue and Linda Söffker (eds.): Aki Kaurismäki (film: 13). Bertz + Fischer Verlag 2006. Pp. 188-191 (German)</ref> As of 2023, he is still based in Portugal.<ref name="Nordisk">Template:Cite news</ref> In Helsinki, Kaurismäki is the co-owner of a complex, Andorra, that incorporates a cinema, several bars and a pool hall featuring a giant poster for Robert Bresson's L’Argent. It also features the jukebox from Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Style

Aki Kaurismäki on Calamari Union's first night in 1985
Aki Kaurismäki in 1990
Aki Kaurismäki in 2012

Kaurismäki is known for his extremely minimalistic style. He has been called an auteur,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="filmgoer">Template:Cite web</ref> since he writes, directs, produces and usually edits the films himself, and thus introduces his personal "drollery and deadpan"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> style. The camera is usually still.<ref>Ebert, Roger, The Man Without A Past, Chicago Sun-Times, 27 June 2003. http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20030627/REVIEWS/306270306/1023 Template:Webarchive</ref> Events are shown in a plain manner and characters are usually left alone facing the consequences. However, despite their tragedies and setbacks, the characters do not give up and eventually survive.<ref name="filmgoer" />

Much of Kaurismäki's work is centred on Helsinki, such as the film Calamari Union, the proletariat trilogy (Shadows in Paradise, Ariel and The Match Factory Girl) and the Finland trilogy (Drifting Clouds, The Man Without a Past and Lights in the Dusk). His vision of Helsinki is critical and singularly unromantic. Indeed, his characters often speak about how they wish to get away from Helsinki. Kaurismäki also uses, on purpose, characters, elements and settings that hark back to the 1960s and 1970s.<ref name="filmgoer" />

Kaurismäki has been a vocal critic of digital cinematography, calling it "a devil's invention which destroys human culture as we know it, robs us of our jobs and makes us in the long run slaves"<ref name="alanen-digital">Template:Cite web</ref> and, in 2012, going as far as claiming that he "won't make a digital film in this life".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, in 2014 he softened his position, saying that "in order to maintain my humble film oeuvre accessible to a potential audience, I have ended up in rendering it to digital in all its present and several of its as yet unknown forms",<ref name="alanen-digital"/> but that he would opt for traditional 35mm film "as long as it is possible regarding access to stock and existence of laboratories".<ref name="alanen-digital"/>

Political views

The political context of Kaurismäki's work is very much influenced by his attitude to Finland's treatment of the working class. In his view, the social and political ramifications of class structures and lack of economic parity render lower-class workers replaceable cogs in an outdated machine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In December 2019, along with 42 other leading cultural figures, Kaurismäki signed a letter endorsing the UK Labour Party under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership in the 2019 UK general election. The letter stated that "Labour's election manifesto under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership offers a transformative plan that prioritises the needs of people and the planet over private profit and the vested interests of a few."<ref name="theguardian1">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="theguardian2">Template:Cite news</ref>

Kaurismäki has been a critic of Finland's immigration policy. When Iraqi refugees arrived in Finland, Kaurismäki said many people in the country "perceived that as an attack, like a war." He was alarmed by their reaction and decided to make a film, The Other Side of Hope, in an effort to "change the Finns' attitude." "I respect Mrs. Merkel," he said, referring to the German chancellor's open-door refugee policy, "She is the only politician who seems to be at least interested in the problem."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In a 2007 interview with the film scholar Andrew Nestingen, Kaurismäki said: "The real disgrace here is Finland's refugee policy, which is shameful. We refuse refugee status on the flimsiest of grounds and send people back to secure places like Darfur, Iraq, and Somalia. It's perfectly safe, go ahead. Our policy is a stain among the Nordic nations. Shameful."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2023, he said he was against Finland's entry into NATO.<ref name="Nordisk"/>

Activism

In December 2023, alongside 50 other filmmakers, Kaurismäki signed an open letter published in Libération demanding a ceasefire and an end to the killing of civilians amid the 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, and for a humanitarian corridor into Gaza to be established for humanitarian aid, and the release of hostages.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In May 2025, Kaurismäki signed an open letter criticizing the film industry's "passivity" about the war in Gaza.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In September 2025, Kaurismäki signed an open pledge with Film Workers for Palestine pledging not to work with Israeli film institutions "that are implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Filmography

Feature films

Year Title Director Writer Producer Editor Notes
1983 The Worthless Template:No Template:Yes Template:No Template:No
Crime and Punishment Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:No
1984 The Clan - Tale of the Frogs Template:No Template:Yes Template:No Template:No
1985 Calamari Union Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Also composer
Rosso Template:No Template:Yes Template:No Template:No
1986 Shadows in Paradise Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:No
1987 The Final Arrangement Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No
Hamlet Goes Business Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No
1988 Ariel Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No
1989 Dirty Hands Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No Template:No TV Movie
Leningrad Cowboys Go America Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No
1990 The Match Factory Girl Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes
I Hired a Contract Killer Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes
1992 La Vie de Bohème Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes
1994 Take Care of Your Scarf, Tatiana Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes
Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes
1996 Drifting Clouds Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes
1999 Juha Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes
2002 The Man Without a Past Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No
2006 Lights in the Dusk Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes
2011 Le Havre Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2017 The Other Side of Hope Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No <ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref>
2023 Fallen Leaves Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Documentaries

Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1981 The Saimaa Gesture Template:Yes Template:Partial Template:Partial Co-directed with Mika Kaurismäki
1994 Total Balalaika Show Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes
2013 Juice Leskinen & Grand Slam: Bluesia Pieksämäen asemalla Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Documentary short film

Short films

Year Title Director Writer Producer Editor Notes
1981 The Liar Template:No Template:Yes Template:No Template:No Medium-length film
1982 The Liar 2 Template:No Template:Yes Template:No Template:No
1986 Rocky VI Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes
1992 Shit Happens Template:No Template:No Template:Yes Template:Yes
1996 Employment Agent Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes
2002 Dogs Have No Hell Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Short film included in the anthology film Ten Minutes Older - The Trumpet
2004 Bico Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Short film included in the anthology film Visions of Europe
2006 The Foundry Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Short film included in the anthology film To Each His Own Cinema
2012 Tavern Man Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Short film included in the anthology film Centro Histórico

Music Videos

Year Title Director Writer Producer Editor
1987 Thru the Wire Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes
Rich Little Bitch Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No
L.A. Woman Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:No
1992 Those Were The Days Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes
1993 These Boots Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes Template:Yes
1996 Always Be a Human Template:Yes Template:No Template:No Template:No

As an actor

Awards and protests

Kaurismäki's film Ariel (1988) was entered into the 16th Moscow International Film Festival where it won the Prix FIPRESCI.<ref name="Moscow1989">Template:Cite web</ref>

Kaurismäki's most acclaimed film has been The Man Without a Past, which won the Grand Prix and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival<ref name="festival-cannes.com">Template:Cite web</ref> and was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Foreign Language Film category in 2003. However, Kaurismäki refused to attend the Oscar ceremony, asserting that he did not feel like partying in a country that was in a state of war. Kaurismäki's next film Lights in the Dusk was also chosen to be Finland's nominee for best foreign-language film, but Kaurismäki again boycotted the awards and refused the nomination, as a protest against U.S. President George W. Bush's foreign policy. In 2002 Kaurismäki also boycotted the 40th New York Film Festival in a show of solidarity with the Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami, who was not given a US visa in time for the festival.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Kaurismäki's 2017 film The Other Side of Hope won the Silver Bear for Best Director award at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the same festival he also announced that it would be his last film as a director, although the retirement was short-lived as he began filming another film, Fallen Leaves, which premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Kaurismäki became the second director, after Paul Thomas Anderson, to win his third FIPRESCI Grand Prix.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

List of awards

Cannes Jury Prize
2023 Fallen Leaves<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Silver Bear
2017 The Other Side of Hope
Cannes Grand Prix
2002 The Man Without a Past
Cannes Ecumenical Jury Special Mention
1996 Drifting Clouds
Cannes Prize of the Ecumenical Jury
2002 The Man Without a Past
FIPRESCI Award
2011 Le Havre
FIPRESCI Grand Prix
2002 The Man Without a Past
2017 The Other Side of Hope
2023 Fallen Leaves
Jussi for Best Film
2006 Lights in the Dusk
Jussi for Best Debut Film
1983 Crime and Punishment
Jussi for Best Script
1983 Crime and Punishment
1996 Drifting Clouds
2002 The Man Without a Past
2011 Le Havre
Jussi for Best Direction
1990 The Match Factory Girl
1992 La vie de bohème
1996 Drifting Clouds
2002 The Man Without a Past
São Paulo Audience Award for Best Feature
1996 Drifting Clouds

See also

References

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Sources

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Template:Aki Kaurismäki Template:Leningrad Cowboys Template:Silver Bear for Best Director

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