"It's All About Mercy"

"Aki Kaurismäki has maintained an impressively steadfast devotion to the working class and society's misfits throughout his long and productive filmmaking career. Just as Yasujiro Ozu, a beloved hero of his, returned again and again to the terrain of Japanese family life and extracted from it a rich spectrum of characters and experiences, the Finnish producer, editor, writer, and director has firmly established the plight of the poor as his chief topic, remaining remarkably consistent in style and subject matter while simultaneously managing to produce works of great depth and variety. Kaurismäki's films map out the trials and tribulations of scraping a living within the harsh climate of capitalist society, following meek outcasts and sympathetic losers as they do what they can to survive and be happy."

Make sure to check out the current issue of Cineaction (N.92) to read Marc Saint-Cyr's great article in full, "Aki Kaurismaki and the Art of Getting By".