Writer/director Aki Kaurasmaki heads to Cannes this month to debut
his 20th feature film, Fallen Leaves. Kaurismaki has called the film a continuation of his "Proletariat
Quartet," following Shadows in Paradise (1986), Ariel (1988) and
The Match Factory Girl (1990).
Fallen Leaves stars Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen as Anna and Holappa, two
lonely strangers who meet by chance and attempt to build a relationship in
spite of Holappa's alcoholism. The film will receive its World Premiere at
the Cannes Film Festival, where it will compete for the fest's top prize,
the Palme d'Or.
Check out the trailer below.
The official synopsis reads:
FALLEN LEAVES tells the story of two lonely people (Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen) who meet each other by chance in the Helsinki night and try to find the first, only, and ultimate love of their lives. Their path towards this honourable goal is clouded by the man’s alcoholism, lost phone numbers, not knowing each other’s names or addresses, and life’s general tendency to place obstacles in the way of those seeking their happiness.