After 6 1/2 Jussis, Aki Kaurismäki’s Le Havre in running for César

30/01/2012

Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki’s Le Havre [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Aki Kaurismäki
film profile] swept the Jussi awards gala last night (January 29) in Helsinki, where it collected six-and-a-half trophies including Best Film, Director, and Original Screenplay. Finnish director Zaida Bergroth’s The Good Son [+see also:
trailer
film profile] came in second, leaving with four statuettes. Six-and-a-half prizes? The Life Achievement Award went to Elina Salo, who also won for Best Supporting Actress in Le Havre; she has appeared in more than 50 films, but is best known for her work with Kaurismäki (which has previously garnered her two Jussis).

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The director himself did not attend the ceremony – he was in Rotterdam for the screening of his film at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (where he was late as usual) – but he knows the procedure: Le Havre is his seventh title to receive Finland’s national film prize, which the Filmiaura has awarded since 1944. With nine nominations, it was not expected to leave empty-handed.

Starring André Wilms, Kati Outinen and Jean-Pierre Darroussin, the production was undertaken by Kaurismäki’s own Sputnik Oy, with Pyramide Productions (France) and Pandora Filmproduktion (Germany). Launched in competition at Cannes, where it won the FIPRESCI critics’ prize, it toured the international circuit - unspooled to an 8,000 audience on Locarno’s Piazza Grande – and won top prizes at Germany’s FilmFest München, St Petersburg’s Kinoforum in Russia, and the Chicago International Film Festival.

Le Havre missed out on the Oscar noms, but was last week (January 27) nominated for three Césars, the French film prize, which will be awarded in Paris on February 24. Kaurismäki’s 16th feature qualified since it was co-produced with a French company, and will be considered for Best Film and Best Director (Kaurismäki) and Best Production Design (Wouter Zoon).

Full list of Finnish Jussi Awards 2011
Best Film
Le Havre – Prod: Aki Kaurismäki

Best Director
Aki Kaurismäki - Le Havre

Best Actor
Joonas Saartamo – Silence

Best Actress
Elina Knihtilä – The Good Son

Best Supporting Actor
Ilkka Heiskanen – The Good Son

Best Supporting Actress
Elina Salo - Le Havre

Best Original Screenplay
Aki Kaurismäki - Le Havre

Best Cinematography
Timo Salminen - Le Havre

Best Musical Score
Timo Hietala – The Good Son

Best Sound Design
Olli Huhtanen, Pietari Koskinen – The Good Son

Best Editing
Timo Linnasalo - Le Havre

Best Art Design
Kari Kankaanpää - Hella W