Aki Kaurismaki: A maverick auteur ①

Aki Kaurismaki is the only auteur who has a worldwide influence from Finland. "Kaurismaki" literally means "Mountain of Deer". Aki's grandfather took this surname according to Russian culture. No one has this surname in Finland, except for Aki's own family and his wife. Most of his films are based on working class living in the society, embodying the subsistence and frustrated lives of marginal people in urban areas. Meanwhile, Aki’s works contain strong formalism and minimalism cinema, and he is proficient in coping with images, pursuing the pathos of man’s alienation, bleakness and nostalgia, which maximize his personal impact on his films. That’s why we call him an auteur. Aki has his own standpoint as a common person against the grim society, focusing on taciturn individuals’ isolation and frustration, and eventually makes the characters rejuvenated by love and living in tranquility. His cinematic language is considerable distinctive, containing profound sympathy towards working class. Furthermore, his humanistic care and virtuoso cinema skill make him an auteur who puts most emphasis on cinematic aesthetics after Ingmar Bergman in Scandinavia. By the way, after finishing “Fanny and Alexander”, Ingmar Bergman has sold his old Arriflex to Aki Karismaki, and 17 of Aki’s works are shot by this old camera....

[@user-ce6iy2nw5o]

How is that surname taken "according to russian culture"? It's an ordinary sounding very finnish surname, has nothing to do with russians to my ear. Russians haven't had any influence to finnish surnames in our history. Where did you get this?

[@dajonbradford]

You've accomplished a great study of Kaurismaki's work. He is definitely a largely overlooked director who I believe will gain stature in the coming years as audiences discover (rediscover) his body of work. Of course, it would help if his films received greater distribution and promotion.

[@Nobody-me7wu]

Best review of Aki Kaurismaki !

[@TheRealQuester]

Best review, analysis and appreciation for Kaurismaki that I've seen in a while. Thank you for that. My absolute favorite cinema auter.

[@indigo12]

Great analysis on Kaurismäki's work and style!

[@johannessilver8653]

So nice introduction for Kaurismäki....he truly is a genius film maker.

[@gaetancharbonneau3902]

Thanks... this documentary is too good!

[@ilkkat]

Nice work, kiitos 😊

[@qixing3415]

我最爱的导演。因为我心里永远的nostalgie情结

[@piert34]

Thank u for video. It is brillant.

[@johnmccormick4966]

Thank you for this journey through the past. It will help get me through this
Sunday.

[@ripred42]

Just getting into Aki, was surprised there was only a single video on him.. until this. Great work.

[@tonyclifton265]

i've been into Aki for over 20 years now.. welcome to the club.. Aki is a genius

[@thenickjones]

I can't wait for the next installment! Finally a great overview of Kaurismaki. Well done!

[@kaurisma_ki]

Thank you for your comment!

[@user-bb6ys8vm2v]

芬兰人民其实生活在一个非常幸福的国家，但在阿基的眼里，他仍然在找寻人性中一种凄凉的喜悦。非常喜欢他的“工人阶级三部曲”。

[@WXRBL666]

芬兰同时也是自杀率最高的发达国家，而这已经比几十年前低很多了。

[@kirstikouvo2139]

Charmant ❤

[@iwaisman]

Thanks

[@tonyclifton265]

if i ever saw aki kaurismaki face down in the street, I'd turn him on his back