Monday 7 May 2018

No. 37 (2018) The Other Side of Hope (Toivon tulle puolen) April 23rd.

Film No. 37 (2018) April 23rd.  4:20 PM LUNA Paradiso Northbridge. 


"I want to stay here. It is a country with no war" (The simplicity with which Khaled sums up his current predicament).






This simply staged film dealing with complicated issues of an asylum seeking nature from a Scandinavian POV is to say the least captivating. Layered with a decency Donald Trump would find confusing and down right incomprehensible, Aki Kaurismaki (Le Havre) gives us more of his view on how good people have key roles to play when opportunities arise in helping other good people. Asylum seeker  Khaled (Sherwan Haji), a Syrian refugee, has the good fortune to meet Wilkstrom (Sakari Kuosmanen) in a very staged circumstance but not before we view the simplistic plight of both men. Wilkstrom needing a new direction in his life for personal and family reasons and Khaled simply wanting a better life sums up the plight of Kaurismaki's key players. Then comes the dead-pan parade of characters mainly via a restaurant caught in the vortex of the 1950's but continually looking to diversify. Toivon is a delight and best of all there is eternal hope.  10GUMS


   

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