THE CRITERION COLLECTION / JANUS FILMS
 
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THE OTHER SIDE OF HOPE (TOIVON TUOLLA PUOLEN)
DISTR Theatrical, TV, DVD-video, VOD, Airline, USA, Canada/UK/Ireland
Release date : Dec 01, 2017
 
More Information

Completed - FINNISH, ARABIC, ENGLISH - Drama, Comedy - 101 minutes

Log Line

The paths of a Syrian refugee and a Finnish travelling salesman cross in the asphalt jungle called Helsinki.

Year of production : 2017

Director(s) : Aki KAURISMÄKI
Writer(s) : Aki KAURISMÄKI
Cast : Sherwan HAJI, Sakari KUOSMANEN, Janne HYYTIÄINEN, Ilkka KOIVULA, Nuppu KOIVU, Simon Hussein AL-BAZOON, Niroz HAJI, Kaija PAKARINEN

Producer(s) : Aki KAURISMÄKI (Sputnik Oy)

Synopsis

A failing restaurant owner hires a young Syrian refugee he finds sleeping in the inner yard of the restaurant, in this Silver Bear–winning dramedy from acclaimed Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki.

One of the giants of European cinema, Aki Kaurismäki has long been a rigorous advocate for those left behind, either by economic vicissitudes, accident, or just plain bad luck. From his legendary "Proletariat Trilogy" to his prizewinning The Man Without a Past, Kaurismäki has combined his distinct visual style, his deadpan and often absurdist humour, and his acute empathy for outsiders to create a body of work at once socially astute and aesthetically unique. That sensitivity is on prominent display in his latest, The Other Side of Hope, winner of the Silver Bear at the recent Berlinale and one of the year's most beautiful and timely films.

Kaurismäki tackles the pressing issues surrounding refugees and forced migration through the characters of Wikström, a salesman who wants to break with his past and open a restaurant, and Khaled, a Syrian refugee searching for his lost sister. Tipped off that he will be sent back to war-torn Aleppo, Khaled is immediately hidden from the authorities in the restaurant's storeroom by Wikström and his employees.

Like Le Havre, The Other Side of Hope depicts a Europe united by class, empathy, and aspiration. But it's far from being naïve about the contemporary world. Far-right jingoism is very present here — in fact, it's a more substantive threat to Khaled than officialdom. But as Kaurismäki slyly points out: all it takes for the tide to turn is for a handful of people to object.

Production

Country(ies) : FINLAND, GERMANY

ARGENTINA MIRADA DISTRIBU
AUSTRALIA PALACE FILMS
AUSTRIA STADTKINO FILMV
BELARUS Dec 07, 2017 MINSK INTERNATI
BELGIUM Mar 22, 2017 CINEMIEN (BELGI
BRAZIL IMOVISION
BULGARIA SOFIA INTERNATI
CANADA FILMS WE LIKE
CANADA Nov 03, 2017 EYESTEELFILM
CHINA TIME-IN-PORTRAI
COLOMBIA CINE COLOMBIA S
CZECH REPU AEROFILMS, S.R.
DENMARK Aug 17, 2017 CAMERA FILM A/S
ESTONIA MUST KASI / KIN
FINLAND Feb 03, 2017 B-PLAN DISTRIBU
FRANCE Mar 15, 2017 DIAPHANA DISTRI
GERMANY Mar 30, 2017 PANDORA FILM GM
GREECE Oct 12, 2017 AMA FILMS
HONG KONG Dec 01, 2017 EDKO FILMS LTD
HUNGARY CIRKO FILM KFT.
ICELAND Mar 17, 2017 HEIMILI KVIKMYN
ISRAEL LEV CINEMAS LTD
ITALY Apr 06, 2017 CINEMA SRL
JAPAN EUROSPACE INC.
LEBANON MOVING TURTLE
LITHUANIA A-ONE FILMS BAL
NORWAY ARTHAUS
POLAND GUTEK FILM LTD
PORTUGAL MIDAS FILMES
PUERTO RIC WIESNER DISTRIB
ROMANIA May 19, 2017 INDEPENDENTA FI
RUSSIA RUSSIAN REPORT
SPAIN GOLEM DISTRIBUC
SWEDEN Mar 17, 2017 FOLKETS BIO
SWITZERLAN Mar 30, 2017 FILMCOOPI ZURIC
TAIWAN SWALLOW WINGS F
TURKEY FILMARTI FILM
UKRAINE ARTHOUSE TRAFFI
UNITED KIN CURZON CM FUND
UNITED KIN CURZON CINEMAS
UNITED KIN CURZON ARTIFICI
USA Dec 01, 2017 THE CRITERION C


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Festivals and Awards

Berlinale - Berlin IFF 2017 - Competition (Silver Bear for Best Director)
Karlovy Vary IFF 2017 Horizons
Toronto - TIFF 2017 Masters


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