“There isn’t much humanity left in the world, but that’s all we have left,” says Aki Kaurismäki who didn’t hesitate in his film Dead leaves to have his characters follow the war in Ukraine on the radio. He is touching in a press conference, the Finnish filmmaker, by his way of highlighting his actors and proclaims his admiration for the works of other filmmakers like Godard or Bresson. “My film is not bad? he asks me as if to reassure himself. When I sincerely compliment him backstage, his blue eyes become wet with emotion.
Moderating a press conference in Cannes is both a pleasure and an honor. The journalists in charge of this mission are chosen according to their affinities with the work of filmmakers and performers. The irreplaceable Didier Allouch, Hollywood correspondent for Canal+, animates, for example, all those of the Americans. This Tuesday noon, I had the great pleasure of welcoming Aki Kaurismäki and his actors Alma Pöystil and Jussi Vatanen for Dead leaves.
What to be a little worried when one knows the taste of the scenario writer for the bottle and his pathological shyness which pushes it to abuse it when it is stressed like at the time of a press conference for example. Especially since his climbing stairs last night was the most rock’n’roll. “My film is the fourth part of a trilogy,” he laughs when talking about it.
A little alcohol and a lot of humanity
When the Finnish director arrives in the room, it is clear that he is red, very red. Despite his somewhat muddy diction, he’s still just as funny, replying that he “stopped drinking ten years ago” when questioned on the subject. Dead leaves resembles the Finnish filmmaker: poetic, amusing, touching with a remarkable sense of self-mockery. His beautiful film about the love story between two loners upset festival-goers with his desperate humor.
A joyous delirium over white or green asparagus follows a very strong denunciation of the war in Ukraine. A mixture of genres, tones and themes which constitutes the charm of his films and of an encounter with him. “Cinema is what will remain for eternity,” he explains. When we see Dead leaves, film steeped in tenderness, songs and poetry, we begin to hope. And more.