TIFF 2023: Fallen Leaves Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

Fallen Leaves is a film that really came as a surprise at times. There is a lot of beauty and humanity packed into this 81-minute film. Filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki has made 20 feature films across his acclaimed career which has spanned forty years, and with his latest film he intends to continue telling the story of the proletariat character and the world around them. 

Taking place in a working-class corner of the Finnish city of Helsinki, Fallen Leaves follows the daily activities of Ansa (Pöysti), and Holappa (Vatanen). Right away, it is clear that they are stuck within the same system. Besides strolling to work at a job which pays an unextraordinary wage, there is little to nothing that they partake in, besides taking the edge off at a local bar. Kaurismäki paints a rather simple image of the capitalist society in which he is portraying in this sad, downtrodden depiction of Helsinki. These characters do very little outside of work and drink, and the film’s atmosphere that is brought to life is instantly evocative. 

Ansa and Holappa both live independent of each other at first, until one fateful encounter at karaoke night at a local bar. Holappa’s rather outgoing companion, Huotari (Hyytiäinen), is doing his best to woo the ladies in the bar by singing a song in his self-described baritone-esque singing voice, and Holappa and Ansa catch the eye of each other from across the bar. There is nothing said, but right then and there is the beginning of our fairy tales love story. The word fairy tale can be used lightly here, as the film’s depictions are very realistic in nature and tone, but yone can’t help but be swooped up by the natural charm and chemistry that the two strike up and at times there is a fairy tale feel to their relationship. The film has this dry, deadpan humor to it that the characters exude. It further adds to the in-world portrayal of Helsinki that Kaurismäki has established. There is a very real beauty here and the way that finding love in an unusual place can be so magical. 

Meanwhile, the film is backdropped by the radio sounds of updates of the war efforts in Ukraine. Constant news briefs about updated death counts, air strikes, and a war that seemingly will not cease. There is pain all around us, and to find love through it all is a powerful and important thing. After all, we are human beings.

To find love and light through the darkness of life is Kaurismäki’s realized vision here, and to paint it through the image of his Helsinki proletariats is both inspiring and beautiful. It is not hard to fall in love with Ansa and Holappa and the journey audiences find them on, and if those looking for something that will make their heart grow in size, even if only for 81 minutes, Fallen Leaves will do the trick.

*still courtesy of Films We Like*

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Brennan Dubé

**ignore the above Instagram link**