Fallen Leaves is the Finnish nominee for the Nordic Council Film Prize
Nordisk Film & TV Fond has today announced this year’s nominees for the Nordic Council Film Prize. The announcement took place at The Norwegian International Film Festival in Haugesund.
The four fiction and two documentary feature films nominated for the 2024 Nordic Council Film Prize are:
- Denmark: The Son and the Moon (Min arv bor i dig) – Directed by Roja Pakari and Emilie Adelina Monies, written by Roja Pakari and Denniz Göl Bertelsen, produced by Sara Stockmann for Sonntag Pictures
- Finland: Fallen Leaves (Kuolleet lehdet) – Directed and written by Aki Kaurismäki, produced by Aki Kaurismäki, Misha Jaari and Mark Lwoff for Sputnik and Bufo
- Greenland: Twice Colonized – Directed by Lin Alluna, written by Aaju Peter and Lin Alluna, produced by Emile Hertling Péronard for Ánorâk Film, Red Marrow Media and EyeSteelFilm
- Iceland: Touch (Snerting) – Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, written by Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson and Baltasar Kormákur, produced by Agnes Johansen and Baltasar Kormákur for RVK Studios
- Norway: Sex – Directed and written by Dag Johan Haugerud, produced by Yngve Sæther and Hege Hauff Hvattum for Motlys
- Sweden: Crossing (Passage) – Directed and written by Levan Akin and produced by Mathilde Dedye for French Quarter Film
The Finnish jury members were Mikaela Westerlund, Kalle Kinnunen and Kaisu Isto. Their statement reads:
Image: Malla Hukkanen / Sputnik
“The timeless story of Fallen Leaves is redolent with sorrow, nostalgia, and the vanishing old Helsinki. Aki Kaurismäki’s film tells a simple story of a lonely woman, Ansa, and a man, Holappa, who meet and fall in love. But the budding relationship is threatened by his alcoholism. The Russian invasion of Ukraine serves as background noise to the film. It may only be heard in a few scenes via Ansa’s radio, but it echoes throughout. Fallen Leaves is very much Kaurismäki: pared down and seemingly of no great consequence, the director/screenwriter’s unique vision makes it grand. The flowing narration, humour and the director’s signature naïve romance are familiar elements, but this world of the past now unexpectedly meets a highly contemporary longing for optimism, which is brought to life by the fresh presence of Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen, who play Ansa and Holappa. In the end, love and hope are what matters most.”
The Nordic Council Film Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in the Nordic region, celebrating unique cinematic visions deeply rooted in Nordic culture. The award recognizes a full-length feature film produced in the Nordic countries and released in cinemas, bestowing both honor and a prize of DKK 300,000 (EUR 41,000), which is shared equally among the film’s director, screenwriter, and producer. This reflects the collaborative effort essential to the art of filmmaking.
The winner of the Nordic Council Film Prize 2024 will be unveiled on Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024 online by RÚV, Icelandic Broadcasting Service. The announcement will coincide with the presentation of other coveted Nordic Council prizes in literature, children and young people’s literature, music, and the environment.