The Man Without a Past(Mies vailla menneisyyttä)

Aki’s compassion for the marginalised comes to its most refined expression in this second part of the ‘Loser Trilogy’. His tenderness embraces a nameless man, who loses his memory after being savagely beaten by muggers. He joins some homeless folk living in genteel contentment in empty containers, as love blossoms with the Salvation Army lady. A brightly idiosyncratic testament to a community’s capacity for resilience and kindness, this uplifting comedy is a rarified blend of heartfelt socio-political sensitivity and Kaurismäki-esque deadpan. Tähti steals the show, taking home the Palm Dog. Screening with Dogs Have No Hell (2002, 11min).

Cannes Film Festival: Grand Prize of the Jury, Best Actress, Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, and Palm Dog