Fallen Leaves (2023)

Direction: Aki Kaurismaki
Country: Finland

Aki Kaurismaki’s Fallen Leaves, titled after the original French song "Les Feuilles Mortes" composed by Kosma/Prévert, is an affecting art house romantic comedy and social reflection that resonates as a cry from the heart, ultimately radiating more warmth than desolation. With his unmistakable style, Kaurismaki strikes a wonderful tonal balance, infusing the narrative with deadpan humor, poignancy, and hope, offering an understated yet deeply affecting piece of amusement for an autumnal afternoon. Fallen Leaves can be viewed as the lost fourth installment in Kaurismaki’s proletariat trilogy, following Shadows in Paradise (1986), Ariel (1988), and The Match Factory Girl (1990).

At the heart of the story are two loners: Ansa (Alma Pöysti), a hard-working supermarket employee disturbed by war news on the radio and yearning for change in her daily routine, and Holappa (Jussi Vatanen), a depressed metalworker who appreciates solitude, vibrates with American rock n’ roll, and struggles with alcoholism. Their chance encounter at a local karaoke bar sparks an immediate attraction, but their differences become apparent as Ansa refuses to live with a drunk, while he rejects any form of authority. As they navigate obstacles and setbacks, fate seems to continually postpone their chance at happiness.

Grounded in realism without descending into sordidness, the film captures with honest eye a loving couple in their simple, everyday setting. There’s an empathetic embrace of retro and kitsch aesthetics, underscored by tragic songs and a cinematography as clear as crystal. The actors effortlessly embody their characters’ quirks with authenticity. Stripped of romantic idealism, love in Fallen Leaves is depicted as introspective, deep, and gentle - a plea for compassion and understanding that feels timeless. 

Kaurismaki emphasizes human resilience and the value of love with his filmmaking gestures, in an absolutely gorgeous and hugely affirming love story. It’s one of those pure delights that’s hard to resist.

Fremont (2023)

Direction: Babak Jalali
Country: USA 

Fremont marks the fourth feature film by Iranian-British director Babak Jalali, who co-wrote it with Carolina Cavalli (Amanda, 2022). This delightful and triumphant indie comedy-drama draws inspiration from the styles of Aki Kaurismaki and Jim Jarmusch. Languid and centered, the film is peppered with irresistible dry humor while addressing relevant topics with a philosophical tone and stoic expression.

The camera lens focuses on Donya (Anaita Wali Zada), an isolated 20-year-old Afghan refugee and former translator for the US Army, grappling with guilt, rejection, and melancholy for betraying her country. Working in a Chinese fortune cookie factory in San Francisco to avoid the large Afghan community in Fremont, she battles PTSD, leading her to seek help from Dr. Anthony (Gregg Turkington), a relaxed and patient psychiatrist. An unexpected blind date introduces her to Daniel (Jeremy Allen White), a lonely mechanic burdened with responsibilities. The intense connection she feels with him rekindles her ability to dream. 

Jalali handles narrative understatement with incredible charm, shooting in a beautiful black-and-white without succumbing to the common style-over-substance pitfall. The story - sharply observed, compellingly told, and crammed with agreeable surprises - appears to treat its weighty subjects with lightness and coldness. However, a deeper look proves that idea wrong. The humor pushes Fremont away from sentimental traps, and is complemented by a magnificently romantic section where the chemistry between Zara and White, both desperate for love, is remarkable.

The film's scenes are exposed with a non-cumbersome beauty that elicits tears without being overtly tearful. Fremont concludes with warmth and optimism, infusing independent cinema with a breath of fresh air and a generous heart.

Tori and Lokita (2023)

Direction: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
Country: Belgium / France

Picking two non-professional actors who have never acted before to play leading roles in their socially aware new film, the Dardenne brothers continue to provide the same raw feelings and narrative straightforwardness that marked their previous works. Yet, in this ultra-realistic immigrant tragedy set in Belgium they probe a new approach that reveals the darkness and evil behind modern slavery. Whomever this gripping drama is for, it still feels like an observant drama film from the directors who made Rosetta (1999), L’Enfant (2005), Lorna’s Silence (2008) and Two Days One Night (2014).

The inseparable Tori (Pablo Schils) and Lokita (Mbundu Joely) arrived in Sicily from Benim but end up in Belgium, where they are forced into drug crimes and subjected to many forms of exploitation by the heartless owner of a pizzeria (Alban Ukaj) that employs them illegally. Pretending to be siblings, they suffer together with the injustice of the social services and the undeserved punishment inflicted by their exploiters. 

The long singing scenes provided by the protagonists are the weakest moments of the film as they break the chain of events. There’s also unnecessary emotional bait in the redundant final scene. Yet, because the script also manages to pack a punch, I believe you’ll be prepared to forgive it. This is a poignant cry of revolt against the fate of minor migrants in Europe. The young actors project a special authenticity that engages the viewer in an emotionally resonant story of true friendship and hope for a dignified, honest life that ends tragically.