Two lonely people, Ansa and Holappa, meet by chance in the night in Helsinki and try to find the first, last and only love of their lives.

Aki Kaurismäki (The Other Side of Hope, Leningrad Cowboys Go America), the master of absurd Nordic humour and winner of several awards at Cannes and Berlin, returns with the drama-comedy Kuolleet lehdet (Fallen Leaves).

Kaurismäki pays tribute to Bresson, Ozu and Chaplin with his new film, which tells the story of the things that can lead humanity towards a better future: love, solidarity, hope and respect for other people and nature.

Set in Helsinki, this gentle tragicomedy is inspired by the song Les feuilles mortes ("Dead Leaves"). The song has also been adapted into a "Finnish tango" version. The Finnish tango is a common element in Kaurismäki's films.

The film is linked to Kaurismäki's proletarian trilogy (Shadows in Paradise, Ariel and The Matchmaker's Girl). It is the director's fifth film in the official competition at Cannes, following Clouds of Thunder (1996), The Man Without a Past (2002, Grand Prix), Suburban Lights (2006) and The Harbour Story (2011).