Den andre siden av håpet

In the last few years, Europa has had to face the consequences of one of the biggest refugee crisis since World War Two. The conflict in Syria has forced millions of people on the run, some of whom have traveled all the way to Scandinavia. This is the starting point for Aki Kaurismäki’s latest film The Other Side of Hope. A cargo arrives in Helsinki with a Syrian stowaway. He gets ashore, and seeks asylum. Meanwhile, a Finnish travelling salesman is utterly bored with his everyday life. Circumstances lead the two very different men to meet, and the film evolves into a study of humanity that bears Kaurismäki's unmistakeable signature, with a fine balance of melancholy and humour. For those unfamiliar with Kaurismäki's oeuvre, The Other Side of Hope is an excellent introduction. Unfortunately, it is also one of his most topical films to date. EG

Aki Kaurismäki (b. 1957) is Finland’s greatest auteur. Since his debut in the early 1980s, he and his brother Mika has been the foremost representatives of Finnish cinema abroad. His inspiration from silent and classical cinema contributes to his distinct style of filmmaking. The Other Side of Hope continues a trilogy of seaport trilogy which started with Le Havre (2011).