Finland in the eyes of Aki

Lou 2022-01-22 08:03:39

It is said that Aki’s film is scented inside the wall and outside the wall, because the Finnish people think that he has taken Finland very poorly and backward. Indeed, in Aki’s film, the Finnish people’s life is really difficult, being laid off at every turn, innocent in jail at every turn, living on the streets at every turn, and bruised and swollen by hooligans at every turn. After watching a few films, I was wondering, isn't Northern Europe always known for its high welfare and superior life? How can the Finns get worse than the Soviets back then? Baidu found out that although Finland was subject to Russia in modern times, it was completely free after the disintegration of the Soviet Union and later joined the European Union. As a multi-party country, it should not lag behind in terms of living standards and democracy and the legal system. From this point of view, Aki’s film does not reflect the full picture of Finland. He only takes pictures of the side he is interested in and reflects the part he wants to reflect. But facing a native Finnish director who has worked in all walks of life, I can't help but take his Finland as a reference. What are the personalities of Finns in Aki's film?

Finns are more withdrawn and conservative, and don't like to call friends and sing songs every night. The old girls in "The Match Factory Women" and the bachelors in "Twilight" are very bored, and their lives are monotonous and lack entertaining spirit.

Finns are more solid-eyed, bored, but not bored. I love you without discussing it, and it’s true if you want to come. In this life, it’s not you who don’t marry or you don’t. In addition to the old girl in "The Match Factory Women", the bachelor in "Twilight", the garbage collector in "Lonely Shadow in Paradise", the single mother in "Launch", "I hired a contract killer" "The flower girl in ", the man with amnesia in "A Man Without a Past" and so on.

Finns have a sense of justice and warmheartedness. This is particularly evident in "A Man Without a Past". Although the man was ransacked by a few bad guys and beaten to half his life, there are many kind people in this world. A family who can’t eat enough is willing to take in a poor man with amnesia, social welfare agencies are willing to provide him with work, and women are willing to associate with a poor man with unknown origins. The neighbourhoods will attack the bad guys, which shows that the Finns are The heart is not as cold as the weather.

In "Twilight", the downhearted man who knows he is alone and lonely, in order to bring justice to the dog tied to the side of the road, he does not hesitate to hit an egg with a stone.

Finns like to be cold and humorous. In the Aki film, the silly and straight-forward people often make people laugh. The more serious they are, the more funny and cute you find them. They are not lofty, not lofty and great, but in the end you have to subdue them, and you will gradually like them. For example, in "Floating Clouds", when the group of unemployed people who were once deep in the quagmire of their lives regained their confidence and set off toward their dreams, such as the garbage workers in "Lonely Shadow in Paradise" sternly said to the beloved woman, "Let’s go on a honeymoon trip, because I can’t When you go alone, such as when the cake-loving gangster in "Launch" stabs his friends.

Let me first regard the above characteristics as the universal character of Finns! The advantage of Finland being far away from me is that it is not easy to have a bad impression of this country because of one or two nasty Finns in reality.

PS: Aki’s sub-pictures have always been beautiful, melancholic blue, cool green, and pure red. When placed in a still lens, the composition can withstand scrutiny. This is the minimalist aesthetics of Northern Europe~

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Extended Reading

Lights in the Dusk quotes

  • Shift Manager: And what was your name?

    Koistinen: Koistinen. Just like before.

  • Bank Manager: [Bank manager is reviewing Koistinen's application for a small-business loan] Tell me, Koistinen... Are you some kind of comedian?

    Koistinen: Why?

    Bank Manager: Did you come to cheer us up? What are these papers? A trade school diploma... Did you think it will give you a loan of two hundred thousand - without any security, any guarantors?

    Koistinen: I'll guarantee it myself, until the company gets going and...

    Koistinen: [Interrupting him] Guarantees from trash like you are worthless.

    Koistinen: But I've got an account here.

    Bank Manager: I won't even take your application further. It's rejected. You're only wasting my time and yours. Go away.