The Other Side of Hope (2017)

A poker-playing restaurateur and former traveling salesman befriends a group of refugees newly arrived to Finland.

Director:

Aki Kaurismäki

Writer:

Aki Kaurismäki

Stars:

Ville Virtanen, Kati Outinen, Dome Karukoski

7 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Ville Virtanen	...	Oikeussalin viranomainen
Kati Outinen	...	Vaatekaupan omistaja
Dome Karukoski	...	Huligaani bussipysäkillä
Tommi Korpela	...	Melartin
Tommi Eronen	...	Huligaani bussipysäkillä
Jörn Donner	...	Pokerinpelaaja
Sherwan Haji	...	Khaled
Sakari Kuosmanen	...	Waldemar Wikström
Maria Järvenhelmi	...	Vastaanottokeskuksen virkailija
Sulevi Peltola	...	Pokerisalin pitäjä
Matti Onnismaa	...	Kylmäsilmäinen mies
Mirja Oksanen	...	Oikeussalin viranomainen
Hannu-Pekka Björkman	...	Pokerinpelaaja
Janne Hyytiäinen	...	Nyrhinen
Elina Knihtilä	...	Aluevalvontaviranomainen

Storyline

Khaled, syrian refugee stows away on a freighter to Helsinki. Meanwhile, Wikström is a traveling salesman who wins big at a poker table and buys himself a restaurant with the proceeds. When the authorities turn down his application for asylum, Khaled is forced underground and Wikström finds him sleeping in the yard behind his restaurant. He offers him a job and a roof over his head and, for a while, they form a Utopian union with the restaurant's waitress, the chef and his dog.

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Plot Keywords:

brother sister relationship | police officer | skinhead | racism | racist | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook [UK] Official site [Germany]

Country:

Finland Germany

Language:

Finnish English Arabic Swedish Japanese

Release Date:

3 February 2017 (Finland)

Also Known As:

The Other Side of Hope

Filming Locations:

Helsinki, Finland

Box Office

Budget:

€1,600,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$15,495, 3 December 2017, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$183,943, 15 February 2018

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sputnik, Oy Bufo Ab, Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Prior the film's release director-producer Aki Kaurismäki and his long-time set decorator Markku Pätilä got into dispute on how the credits are listed in the Finnish titled version as all set related credits (set decorator, property master and set builder) are listed under single title "Lavastus". Kaurismäki's response for that this wording would downgrade Pätilä's role and artistic rights in the set design, Kaurismäki rejected these claims and also said Kaurismäki himself designed the detailed visual look of the film and even provided large part of the props. The response also promised that in the international version with English titles Pätilä would be the only person listed under title "set decorator". On February 1st 2017 Pätilä and his lawyers filed a case to The Market Court in Helsinki to seek injunction on film's release in Finland in its current form and the next day the court ruled that there is no need to ban the film and the issues regarding the rights on the film's set design will be determined later - assuming the parties cannot reach a settlement outside the court prior that.

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Quotes

Khaled: Listen. I fell in love with Finland.

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Connections

Referenced in KVIFF Guide: Episode #1.9 (2017)

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Soundtracks

Hoshi o Mitsumete
Traditional
Performed by Toshitake & The Old Boys

User Reviews

Other Side of Hope

The Other Side of Hope tells the story of a Syrian refugee and the challenges he meets in Finland. The film features his typical cinematographic style but the picture itself is disappointing.

It is clear that Kaurismäki is much more at ease describing Finnish people. His Finnish characters are very funny and colorful, however when it comes to the refugee characters, he becomes shy and unimaginative.

The main character Khaled is probably a very good person but he is a very boring character. More than that he does not look like a refugee; he looks neither tired, hungry or frustrated. He reminds one of a successful salesman or a post-doctorate student.

His story is not compelling and his acting is not convincing. Kaurismäki received a specific commission and when making this politically correct movie he was afraid of making fun of foreigners or their religion. He even made the character an atheist which is highly unlikely for people from this country.

Occasionally the film was funny, but only in the segments featuring Finns, The plot is not very interesting and does not have any twists or surprises. When undertaking this theme, Kaurismäki has shown that he does not know the topic or want to know it. Perhaps the biggest motivating factor was the funding he received to make this extremely politically correct picture.

Read more at: http://indie-cinema.com/2017/02/the-other-side-of-hope/