Dead Leaves: Did you spot these cinematic references in the 2023 Cannes Jury Prize?

What do dead leaves say?

He (Alma Poist) works in a supermarket, labels products on the shelves, eats expired ready meals in his small, dilapidated apartment.

He (Jussi Vatanen) is an alcoholic, goes from construction site to construction site and sometimes follows his colleagues to karaoke on Friday evenings. As war looms at the gates of their country, can the unexpected meeting of these two anonymous people save them from the loneliness that is gnawing at them?

An ode to love in a world of war…

Although they feel alone in the world around them, these two anonymous people see a glimmer of hope when they meet: true love at first sight.

Their usual cynicism is then replaced by a welcome tenderness, a source of lightness and optimism that initially plagues the characters. The two halves of this strange couple, accustomed to the loneliness of their existence, do not know how to welcome budding love, which leads to misunderstandings and awkwardness, which will not fail to entertain, touch and involve the audience in their new relationship.

However, this tenderness may surprise Aki Kaurismaki lovers. Known for the violence of his early films such as Crime and Punishment and I Hired a Hitman, the director has gradually changed direction to question the anger of the modern world that terrifies him. “Even if today I have gained a dubious notoriety thanks to some rather violent and trashy movieshe jokes My pain in the face of futile and criminal wars eventually led me to write a story about what humanity has to offer: the desire for love, solidarity, respect and hope in others, in nature. .”

… inspired by the great classics of the 7th art

After films such as A Man Without a Past and Le Havre, which earned him the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and three César nominations, Aki Kaurismak That’s why he decided, more than ever, to trace the themes dear to him: love, respect, hope… an evolution especially inspired by the greatest classics of the 7th art, which the director cites with respect and honesty in Les Dead Les. .

During their first meeting, the two characters decide to attend a screening of The Dead Don’t Die (Jim Jarmusch) at a local movie theater. The pair appreciate the film, from which Kaurismak seems inspired by its laconic and tragic irony, and meet at the exit of a cinema where several posters hang.

From Bresson (Diary of a Country Priest) to Godard (Pierrot le fou), the references are numerous, especially to the French classics. It also brings out the characters as well as the director, whose minimalist writing hangs on every word to create love. The final shot will remind Charlie Chaplin fans of what the legendary director is all about.

From this remarkable inspiration, Aki Kaurismäki draws romantic power and deep hope to create a film of great love, both touching and cinephilic: Dead Leaves, which will be discovered in cinemas from September 20!